Dozen die in village well collapse at wedding in India

At least 13 women and girls have died while singing and dancing at a wedding as a concrete slab covering an abandoned village well collapsed under their weight in northern India. 

Ten other villagers were injured as they also fell into the well and were hospitalised in Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh state on Wednesday night, said District magistrate S Rajalingam.

"The victims fell down and were crushed under the debris," he said, adding the well was old and could not take the weight of those sitting on the covering.

The well was more than 15 meters deep, said Muralidhar Singh, a rescuer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet described the incident as heart-rending and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.

"The accident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this," said Modi.

"With this, I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The local administration is involved in all possible help," he added.

Authorities are investigating the incident in the village, which is about 300 kilometres east of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

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