Nine family members, including six children, killed as car plunges into well in Dindori, Nashik

Nashik: Nine members of a family, including six children, were killed after their car plunged into a large well in Dindori, 25km from Nashik city, at 10pm on Friday. The family had been attending a get-together at a coaching centre nearby where some of the children studied.It took rescue teams two hours to recover the bodies and pull the vehicle out of the well that is located directly at the end of a concrete road. The safety wall around the well is barely a foot high, and the structure is difficult to spot in the dark.The accident occurred while the family was returning home in their multi-purpose vehicle after attending the function. According to police reports, the driver apparently failed to spot the well in the dark while driving through the Shivaji Nagar area.Local resident Ramesh Charuskar said those familiar with the area usually avoid the well by turning left from the concrete road and following a ‘kucha' path around the well to reach the other side. Sunil Dargude, who may have been unfamiliar with the area, likely did not realise the road led directly to the well. The safety wall surrounding the well is no more than a foot high, said Charuskar.The deceased have been identified as Sunil Dargude (32), Reshma Dargude (27), Asha Dargude (32), Khushi Dargude (14), Madhuri Dargude (13), Shreyas Dargude (11), Rakhi (Gunvanti) Dargude (11), Shravani Dargude (11), and Samruddhi Dargude (7).Based on a complaint filed by a family member, the Dindori police have registered an FIR against the car driver, Sunil Dargude, and the owner of the well, Rajendra Raje, under sections 106(1) (causing death due to negligence), 281 (rash and negligent driving) and 324(5) (mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.Inspector Bhagwan Mathure said, "The residents of the village are agitated and angry with the landowner, Rajendra Raje. Sensing the public's mood, Raje fled the village with his family the same night." He said efforts are underway to trace him for the necessary legal action.Meanwhile, a sombre mood prevailed in Indore village, where the Dargude family resided. Deepak Dhatrak, a relative and fellow villager, said the Dargudes are a family of farmers. The children usually travelled 6 km to Dindori for school and coaching using a school van. On the day of the accident, they had dressed up specially for the coaching centre's function."This is the first time in our village's history that nine funeral pyres have been lit at once," Dhatrak added.