A pilgrimage turned tragic after eight people — including seven members of a family from Odisha and a taxi driver — were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in was swept away by a rain-swollen stream near the Maa Bagalamukhi Temple at Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.

The family — including three children and two women, all residents of Bhubaneswar — were travelling from Ujjain to Nalkheda to visit the temple, police sources said. They had planned the pilgrimage ahead of the engagement of one of those who died.

The mishap occurred when the car attempted to cross the swollen stream near the temple amid a strong water current. Though the rescue team rushed to the site and pulled out the submerged vehicle, all the deceased were found trapped inside.

Story continues below.
Subscribe to see fewer ads.

The taxi driver who died was identified as Krushna Rajveer.

Family sources said the deceased had left Bhubaneswar on September 16 and planned to travel back home after offering prayers at the Bagalamukhi Temple. Officials said preliminary findings showed that the vehicle must have tried to cross the stream in haste and was swept away by the force of the water.

Nalkheda received heavy rainfall (3.7 inches) in the previous 24 hours, resulting in a rise in water levels in the stream.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi offered condolences and asked officials to maintain constant coordination with the Madhya Pradesh government.

Story continues below this ad

“All necessary steps are being taken to expedite the rescue and relief operations, as well as to respectfully bring the mortal remains back to Odisha. In this hour of grief, the state government stands firmly by the side of the bereaved families,” Majhi wrote on X.