7 children feared drowned after van falls in Indira canal in Lucknow

At least seven children were feared drowned and 22 others persons rescued after a pick-up van in which they were travelling plunged into the Indira canal near here, district officials said Thursday.

The van carrying 29 people fell into the canal in Nagram area on the city's outskrits during wee hours of Thursday, Lucknow District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said.

The passengers were returning from a marriage ceremony in neighbouring Barabanki district.

While 22 of them were rescued, seven children were missing even 12 hours after the mishap occurred, officials said.

"As many as seven children, all in the age-group of 5-10 years, are missing. They might have been washed away in the rapid current of the water in the canal...rescue operations are on," Sharma, who rushed to the site, told PTI.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of onlookers gathered at the place of the accident where parents of some of the missing children accused the driver of the pick-up van of being under the influence of alcohol.

One of the aggrieved parents, Lajjawati, said, "The driver of the van was under the influence of alcohol and was driving at a high speed when he overshot a bend and the van hurtled down the canal."
Sub-divisional magistrate of Mohanlalganj tehsil, Suryakant, said, "The allegation that the driver was under the influence of alcohol is being examined. He has been sent for medical examination to establish whether he had consumed alcohol."