Patna, April 8
Four members of a family were killed after their SUV plunged into a pond in Bihar’s Gaya district, officials here said on Tuesday.
The accident occurred near Dakhingaon Bridge under the Wazirganj police station area around midnight.
The deceased have been identified as Shashikant Sharma (43), a well-known farmer from Sahawajpur village, his wife, Rinki Devi (40), and their two sons -- Sumit Anand (17) and Balkrishna (5).
The SHO of Wazirganj police station confirmed the incident. He said the family was returning from a Shraddha Karma ceremony held in Bihar Sharif when tragedy struck.
The family was travelling in a Scorpio SUV when the driver lost control while crossing the narrow bridge near Dakhingaon.
The vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a roadside pond. The driver, Sintu, managed to escape from the submerged vehicle and cried out for help.
Hearing his distress calls, a nearby hotel operator rushed to alert local villagers and informed the police. Soon after, police and villagers arrived at the scene and, with the help of a JCB machine, pulled the SUV out of the pond.
However, by the time the vehicle was recovered, all four passengers had lost their lives.