Nine members of a family, including six children, died after their vehicle plunged into an unprotected roadside well in Shivajinagar area of Dindori town in Nashik district, police said.
The victims were travelling in a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) when it fell into a nearly 25-metre-deep well filled with water on Friday night, said police, adding that the vehicle submerged completely, trapping all occupants inside.
The accident occurred in a residential layout with row houses on both sides of a concrete road. The well, located on private land along the roadside, had no adequate safety barrier.
Police teams, along with fire brigade personnel and locals, carried out a rescue operation. Two cranes were deployed to pull out the submerged vehicle, while local swimmers assisted in retrieving the bodies.
The deceased were identified as Sunil Dargode (32), the driver, his wife Reshma (27), Asha Dargode (32), and six children from the family, including five girls in the age group of seven to 14 years and an 11-year-old boy.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for each of the deceased.
