26 dead after tractor carrying Hindu pilgrims overturns in India

A farm tractor pulling a wagon loaded with people overturned and fell into a pond in northern India, killing 26 people, most of them women and children, officials said on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police Tej Swaroop Singh said the wagon was carrying around 40 people returning from a ceremony at a nearby local Hindu temple Saturday night. He said most of the deaths were due to drowning.

At least 10 people were injured in the accident in Kanpur city's Ghatampur area, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) southwest of Uttar Pradesh state's capital, Lucknow. The injured have been admitted to a hospital.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted condolences Saturday: "Distressed by the tractor-trolley mishap in Kanpur. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their near and dear ones. Prayers with the injured."

Distressed by the tractor-trolley mishap in Kanpur. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their near and dear ones. Prayers with the injured. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 1, 2022

It is the second incident in the last three days when a tractor-carrying people overturned, killing at least 12 people.

Uttar Pradesh’s top elected official Yogi Adityanath discouraged the use of farm tractors for passenger transport.

“A tractor-trolley should be used for agricultural work and to transfer goods, not to ferry people," he said in a statement.

India has some of the highest road death rates in the world, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and injured annually. Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.