Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 4: Seven women farm labourers, two of them aged 18, died and three others were rescued after a tractor-trolley ferrying them to an agriculture field plunged into a well in Nanded district of Maharashtra on Friday morning, an official said.
The accident occurred at around 7.30 am in Asegaon village which lies under jurisdiction of Limbgaon police station when the vehicle veered off the road and fell into the nearly 90 feet deep well filled to the brim with water, said District Information Officer (DIO) Pravin Take said.
Police and local administration officials immediately launched a rescue operation and pumped out a large amount of water from the well, he said.
At the end of the operation, bodies of seven women were fished out of the well, while three others were rescued, said the DIO.
“The woman were on their way to harvest turmeric at a farm. All those who died hailed from Gunj village under Vasmat tehsil in Hingoli district,” the official said.
The deceased were identified as Tarabai Satwaji Jadhav (35), Dhrupata Satwaji Jadhav (18), Saraswati Lakhan Burad (25), Simran Santosh Kamble (18), Chaitrabai Madhav Pardhe (45), Jyoti Irabaji Saraode (35), Sapna Tukaram Raut (25), he said.
Three other women farm labourers – Parvatibai Burad (35), Purbhabai Kamble (40), Satwaji Jadhav (55) — were rescued from the water body.
The open well was nearly 90 feet deep and about 20 feet of water was pumped out with the help of electric motors to pull out the bodies and the tractor-trolley, another official said.
The well was filled to the brim and the tractor-trolley was not visible from outside, he said.
The rescue operation was carried out with the help of fire brigade, disaster management personnel and local villagers. A team of fire brigade personnel lifted out the tractor using a crane and belts, the official added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the accident and announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased.
The injured will be given Rs 50,000 each, he said.
“Saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Nanded, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected,” the Prime Minister said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the death of farm labourers and separately announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family of each deceased.
“Some women died in an accident in Asegaon, Nanded district, this morning when a tractor trolley carrying 11 women labourers fell into a well. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them. These women were from Gunjgaon, Hingoli district, and were going for agricultural work,” he posted on X.
“The families of the deceased will be given a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” he declared.
“Three women were rescued safely. We are in touch with both Hingoli and Nanded administrations,” the CM said.
Later, talking to reporters, Fadnavis said an inquiry has been ordered into the accident and steps will be taken to ensure such incidents do not recur. (PTI)
