BETUL: Four seers and three others were grievously injured in an accident near the Temni Khurd village on the highway in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district late Friday evening.
The group of seven spiritual pilgrims from Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh was returning from a visit to the revered Balajipuram temple in Betul when the disaster struck.
Their Bolero vehicle suffered a sudden rear tyre burst, causing it to veer off the road and plunge into a deep roadside well.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and urgency as villagers rushed to the site even before emergency services arrived.
With ropes and sheer determination, the villagers managed to rescue three of the seers from the waterlogged vehicle.
The remaining four seers were trapped inside the submerged Bolero car, prompting a full-scale rescue operation by the police and SDRF teams that continued late into the night.
The deceased were identified as Kallu alias Laxmi Giri (24), Malkhan Giri (65), Rakesh Giri (35), and Gulab Giri (40).
Their bodies were recovered after hours of intense search efforts.
The survivors -- Makhanju Giri (27), Shivpujan Giri (60), and the driver, Rakesh Giri (32) -- were rushed to Chhindwara District Hospital and are currently undergoing treatment.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, R.P. Choubey confirmed that the tyre burst was the cause of the accident and commended the villagers for their swift response.