At least 12 killed after speeding van hits bike and falls into well

At least 12 people were killed after a van veered off the road and plunged into a well in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday afternoon following a collision with a motorbike.

The accident took place in Budha-Takarwat Phante, a rural area under the jurisdiction of the Narayangarh police station in Mandsaur district.

The van was carrying members of a family to a local temple after a wedding when it lost control and fell into a well around 20m from the road.

Among the dead were nine passengers in the van, the motorcyclist, and a local villager who attempted to rescue the victims. Two people died later from injuries and gas exposure. The biker was identified as Govardhan Singh, 65.

Four people were still in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the van driver struck the motorcycle and attempted to flee the scene, but lost control. “The driver of the Eco Van hit a bike rider coming from the front and later the driver tried to flee from the spot. The driver lost control over the van and fell into an open well, which was 20 meters away from the main road,” police superintendent Abhishek Anand was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

Several villagers rushed to help, pulling out survivors using ropes before emergency services arrived. Among the rescued were a 10-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl.

One of the villagers, Manohar Singh, died during the rescue after apparently inhaling toxic fumes believed to have leaked from an LPG cylinder illegally fitted in the vehicle.

“Manohar Singh showed immense courage and saved the lives of people. He got unconscious in the well. When he did not come out of the well, the villagers stopped the rescue work which resumed after police and state disaster response teams reached the spot. We first used a compressor to evacuate the poisonous gas and later pumped out the water from the well,” deputy inspector general of police Manoj Singh.

The rescue effort, involving the National Disaster Response Force and local authorities, lasted nearly five hours.

Authorities were investigating who was responsible for fitting the unauthorised gas cylinder in the van as suffocation from the leaked gas was suspected to have caused multiple fatalities.

Deputy chief minister Jagdish Devda visited the spot and confirmed the launch of a formal inquiry. “There were 13 persons, including two children, in the van. Manohar Singh, the villager who was trying to rescue the people, died after inhaling toxic gas,” he said.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav announced financial compensation for the families of the victims as well as the injured. Prime minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences and approved ex gratia payments of Rs200,000 (£1,900) to each bereaved family and Rs50,000 (£475) to the injured.

“Saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” Mr Modi wrote on X.

President Droupadi Murmu said she was "very sad" to hear of the accident.

“I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” she said on X.