7 children feared dead after van carrying 29 people falls into canal in Lucknow

At least seven children were feared drowned after a pick-up van fell into the Indira canal in Nagram area here, district officials said Thursday. The van carrying 29 people, who were returning from a marriage ceremony in neighbouring Barabanki district, fell into the canal late Wednesday night, Lucknow District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said, adding that 22 of them have been rescued.

"As many as seven children, all in the age-group of 5-10 years, are missing. They might have been washed away to a significant distance as the flow of the water in the canal is rather high...rescue operations are on," Sharma told PTI.

SK Bhagat, IG Range Lucknow: A vehicle carrying around 29 people fell into the canal, around 22 people have been rescued so far, 7 children are still missing. Rescue operations by NDRF and local divers underway. pic.twitter.com/6apRZC4e4M

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 20, 2019

A vehicle carrying passengers fell in Indira canal in Nagram, Lucknow, today morning. Rescue operations underway. Chief Minister has taken cognizance of the incident and directed the SSP and the SDRF to make all possible efforts for search & rescue of the persons who have drowned pic.twitter.com/pHDfJ39EM3

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 20, 2019

He said that divers have been engaged to search the missing children. About the possible cause of the accident, the DM said the vehicle has been fished out and a technical examination will establish the actual reason of the accident.

"Whether the driver was in an inebriated state not known, as of now he is at the accident spot and has helped in rescuing the passengers," Sharma said. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior police officials and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF to speed up the rescue operations, a statement issued by the UP Government said.

All the passengers were returning from a marriage function when the driver lost control over the vehicle and plunged into the into the Indira Canal in Nagram area on the outskirts of the state capital around 3.a.m.