22 killed, 10 injured as tractor trolley overturns in India

NEW DELHI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 people were killed and 10 others injured, some of them critically, after a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond on Saturday in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

The accident took place in Patiyali area of Kasganj district, about 266 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

"So far 22 deaths have taken place in the accident and 10 people injured are being treated at different hospitals," Kasganj Chief Medical Officer Rajiv Agrawal told media.

According to police, the victims were heading to Kadarganj to take a holy dip in the Ganga river.

"Today a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond on the Patiyali-Dariyavganj road in Patiyali area. The occupants in the trolley were going to take a bath in the Ganga river," a local government official said. "The villagers were the first to respond to the accident and they fished out the victims, a majority of whom were women and children."

Rescuers removed the bodies from the spot and shifted them to a mortuary, where they will be handed over to their families after conducting post-mortem examinations.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the bereaved families. He also announced financial assistances to the families affected by the accident.

Preliminary investigations said the tractor driver was trying to overtake another vehicle, which led to the overturn.

Deadly road accidents are common in India, often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India.