Tragedy in India: 13 Women and Girls Die After Falling into Well During Wedding

Thirteen women and girls lost their lives after accidentally falling into a well while attending a wedding ceremony in their village in northern India, as reported by Indian police on Wednesday. According to Agence France-Presse, Akhil Kumar, an official from the Kushinagar district police in Uttar Pradesh, stated that the victims had been sitting on a iron slab covering the well when it collapsed beneath them. District judge Asa Rajalingam noted that the old well could not support the weight of the group seated on the iron cover, leading to its collapse, and added that “the victims fell down and were crushed under the debris.” The women and girls had gathered to participate in a traditional wedding in their village. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "heartbreaking" and tweeted that local administration is providing all possible assistance. Wedding gatherings in India often attract large numbers of guests, and some celebrations can last several days. In 2017, 24 people died while attending a wedding in the northwestern state of Rajasthan when a wall collapsed on them due to a storm.