At least 14 persons were killed and 20 others injured when a pick-up vehicle overturned and fell into a deep valley in Madhya Pradesh's Dindori district on Thursday, a police official said.
The accident took place near Badjhar Ghat at around 1.30 am when the vehicle's driver lost control over the wheels while negotiating a blind turn. The vehicle then fell into a 40-50 feet deep valley.
Fourteen persons died on the spot while 20 others were injured, the official said. The deceased included seven men, six women and a minor boy, as per the police.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident.
PM Modi announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased persons and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also announced an assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased.
The victims were returning to Amhai Devri from Masurghugri village in the district's Shahpura block after take part in a programme, Sub Divisional Officer of Police Mukesh Avindra said.
After being alerted, Dindori Collector Vikas Mishra and Superintendent of Police Akhil Patel rushed to help the victims.
The injured persons were admitted to the Shahpura Community Health Centre for treatment.
Six of them were reported to be in serious condition, an official said, adding that two of them were referred to Jabalpur for treatment.
President Murmu in a post on X said the news of many casualties in the road accident in Dindori district is extremely painful.
"I express my condolences to the bereaved family members. I pray that all the people injured in this accident get well soon," she said.
PM Modi also condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
'The road accident in Dindori, Madhya Pradesh is very sad. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I wish speedy recovery to all the injured persons. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible assistance to the victims,' the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a post on X.
In another message on X, the PMO announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the accident.
MP CM Yadav directed state cabinet minister Sampatiya Uikey to rush to Dindori for the relief work.
Senior Congress leader and former MP CM Kamal Nath also expressed grief over the incident.
