Madhya Pradesh: 8 killed after car swept away in drain near Nalkheda temple

Eight people, including seven members of a family from Odisha and a taxi driver, were killed after their car was swept away in an overflowing drain near the Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda, Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district, police said.

The victims included two women, two men and three children, all found trapped inside the submerged vehicle. Police are working to confirm their identities.

Agar Malwa superintendent of police (SP) Dileep Soni said the family had travelled to Ujjain and hired a taxi to visit Nalkheda. “The car carrying devotees was swept away in the overflowing drain near the temple,” he said.

Rescue teams rushed to the site after receiving information. The vehicle was pulled out of the drain, but all eight passengers were declared dead on arrival by doctors.

District collector Sher Singh Meena said that the area had recorded 3.7 inches, or 37 mm, of rainfall in the past 24 hours, causing the drain in front of the temple to swell dangerously. To be sure, 37 mm is not considered extreme rainfall, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) definition.

Locals staged a protest after the incident, demanding proper development of the area, including a bridge to cross the drain.