Etah: A pall of gloom descended on the villages of Uttar Pradesh's Etah district after nearly 24 pilgrims, including 12 women and eight children, died after a tractor-trolley fell into a roadside pond in Kasganj on Saturday.
The tractor-trolley carried around 45 pilgrims from Etah district, who were going to Kasganj to take a holy dip on Magh Purnima. The accident took place after the driver lost control while evading a collision with a car and fell into the pond.
Among the deceased included five members of a family from Nagla Kasa village of Etah who were on their way perform their son's 'mundan' rituals on the banks of Ganga. The minor had also died in the accident. The atmosphere outside the family's house is one of despair. ETV Bharat spoke to the minor's grandmother who is in immense pain and grief.
The woman said that nine members from her nephew, Shivam's family had gone to participate at the 'mundan' celebrations of which five died on the spot and four are hospitalised. The deceased are Shivam's son Mukesh, his wife Ushma, daughter Anvi, uncle's daughter Diksha and aunt Gayatri Devi. The four others, namely Shivam's two sons Aryan and Anubhav, brother Pranshu and uncle's daughter Monica are seriously injured and undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kasganj and Aligarh, the woman said.
"The entire family wanted to celebrate the boy's 'mundan' ceremony together but it turned out to be the most horrific experience. We had never imagined that we will witness such a tragedy where so many people from our village died," the woman added.
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