RAIGARH: Four members of a family were killed after their car fell into an water-filled abandoned stone quarry in Sarangarh-Bhilaigarh district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Friday.
A 15-year-old girl from the family, who was also in the vehicle, managed to get out of it and swim to safety although her attempt to rescue her grandfather proved unsuccessful, they said.
The incident took place near Timarlaga village on Raigarh-Sarangarh road when the victims were returning after visiting a temple in adjoining Odisha, Sarangarh-Bhilaigarh Additional Superintendent of Police Maheshwar Nag said.
Those killed were identified as Minu Patel, sarpanch of Timarlaga panchayat, her husband Mahendra and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, he said.
As per the preliminary information, Mahendra, who was driving the car, lost control over the vehicle while driving in reverse gear and it accidently plunged into the quarry, he said.
"Patel's daughter Roshni managed to come out of the car as the window of her side opened and swam to safety. She tried to rescue her grandfather after dragging him out of the car's window, but he slipped into deep waters and drowned. Three others remained stuck inside the vehicle which was completely submerged in the water," he said.
Roshni rushed to a nearby petrol pump and informed about the incident, following which the police personnel launched a rescue operation, he said.
All four bodies and the car were fished out from the quarry this morning, he said.
The bodies were sent for post-mortem and a probe was underway in this connection, he added.