Nine family members killed as van swept into flooded drain in Madhya Pradesh

Nine members of a family, including four children, died on Monday after the van they were traveling in was swept into a flooded drain in the Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. The group was traveling from Dewas to Kadnavad village for a religious visit when the vehicle reached the Padana bypass. According to police and witness accounts, the driver attempted to cross the swollen Jhiri drain despite warnings from local residents. Two other passengers were rescued by locals and admitted to Sarangpur hospital.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced a compensation of 4 lakh rupees to the families of each of the deceased. Rescue operations involved the police, administration, SDRF, and local villagers who used cranes and ropes to recover the bodies.

The tragedy occurred amid severe weather across the state. High alerts have been issued for 21 districts. In Bhopal, rainfall reached 7 inches in 24 hours, leading to the inundation of homes, police stations, and railway tracks. Other regions including Sehore, Shajapur, and Raisen have reported closed roads and washed away bridges. The India Meteorological Department reports that the state has received 17.8 inches of rainfall so far.