Indore/Khandwa: At least 13 people, including five minors, lost their lives in two separate tractor-trolley accidents in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday during Vijayadashmi celebrations. In Khandwa district, a tractor-trolley carrying nearly 30 devotees and idols of Goddess Durga plunged into a lake in the Pandhana area, killing 10 people, including three children, while three others were rescued and admitted to the hospital. On the same day in Ujjain district, a tractor-trolley carrying 12 people and a goddess idol fell into the Chambal river near Narasingha village after a 12-year-old accidentally started the vehicle, resulting in the deaths of two boys aged 8 and 16, with another child reported missing.
In Khandwa, Inspector General of Police (Indore rural range) Anurag said State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and local divers retrieved the bodies, and an additional SDRF team was sent to continue search operations. “We have learnt that five to six devotees have survived,” he added, noting that a probe into the accident has been initiated. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the tragedy and announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for each family of the deceased.
In Ujjain, Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Ranjan said the accident occurred when a 12-year-old boy accidentally turned the tractor’s ignition, causing it to skid off a bridge into the river. Eleven people were rescued, while 16-year-old Shubham remained missing. Of those hospitalised, two children—Vansh (8) and Prithviraj (16)—succumbed to injuries, while two others, aged six and ten, were referred to Ujjain for further treatment.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic in both districts as villagers rushed to help in the rescue operations. Authorities have urged extra caution during idol immersion events following the tragic incidents, which have cast a shadow over Vijayadashmi celebrations in Madhya Pradesh.