Nine of Same Family Drown as Car Falls Into Nashik Well Six children among the nine victims of the Dindori tragedy; Dargude family car veers off road after attending function

Nine Lives Lost in Dindori

Nine members of the same family, including six children, drowned after their car plunged into a roadside well in Maharashtra's Nashik district late Friday night. The accident occurred in the Shivaji Nagar area of Dindori town around 10 pm on Friday, April 3, according to police. The tragedy has left the entire Dindori taluka in shock.

Family Was Returning from Function

The Dargude family had travelled from Indore village in Dindori taluka to attend a meeting organised by 'Vadje Classes' at Raje Banquet Hall in Shivajinagar. On their way home, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and fell directly into a water-filled well near the venue.

The well's depth and the sudden submersion of the vehicle left passengers with no opportunity to escape.

Who Were the Victims

The deceased were identified as Sunil Dattu Dargude (32), his wife Reshma, Asha Anil Dargude (32), and six children — five girls between the ages of seven and 14, and an 11-year-old boy. All belonged to Indore village in Dindori taluka.

The loss of six young children in a single accident has deepened the grief gripping the community.

Rescue Teams Rush to Spot

Upon receiving information, Tehsildar Mukesh Kamble, Police Inspector Bhagwan Mathure, and Chief Officer Sandeep Chaudhary rushed to the spot along with police personnel, the fire brigade, a disaster management team, and local residents. An NDRF team also reached the scene to assist in the operation, which continued late into the night.

Two Cranes, Swimmers Deployed

Personnel from local police and emergency services retrieved the car and its occupants with the help of two cranes and swimmers around midnight. Darkness and the water-filled depth of the well made the recovery effort particularly difficult.

By the time the vehicle was pulled out, all nine occupants had already died.

Case Registered, Probe Underway

Police said the driver of the Maruti XL allegedly lost control of the vehicle, which caused it to veer off the road and fall into the roadside well. Their bodies were brought to the government hospital in Dindori for post-mortem examinations, and a case has been registered. A probe is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.

Unsafe Wells a Recurring Concern

The tragedy has shocked the local community and highlighted the dangers posed by unsecured roadside wells, renewing calls for improved safety measures in the area.

Road safety activists and local residents have pointed to the absence of protective barriers or covers around open wells situated alongside rural roads as a longstanding hazard. This Nashik accident is likely to intensify demands on the state government to audit and secure such open water bodies in Maharashtra's rural stretches.