Bhubaneswar, September 19:A pall of gloom descended on Jaydev Vihar in Bhubaneswar after seven members of an Odisha family and their driver died when their vehicle was swept away by a swollen rain-fed stream in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district.

The victims, including three children, two women and two men from the same family, were on a pilgrimage when tragedy struck.

The family had visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain and was travelling to the revered Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda. However, heavy overnight rainfall caused a nearby stream to swell and overflow, creating strong currents.

The vehicle reportedly attempted to cross the submerged stretch but was swept away by the gushing water and submerged.

The tragedy has left the family of Banamali Behera of Jaydev Vihar devastated. The elderly patriarch broke down while mourning the loss of his family members.

“They had gone on a spiritual journey to Mahakaleshwar with so much happiness and devotion to pray for the family,” a grief-stricken relative said.

According to the family, they first learnt about the incident through television news and subsequently contacted friends working in Madhya Pradesh to confirm the tragedy.

“We got the information from TV news and contacted our friends in Madhya Pradesh. In just one moment, everything is finished,” the relative said.

The family also suffered the loss of a young woman whose marriage had reportedly been finalised and whose wedding date was expected to be fixed soon.

The bereaved family said the government was making arrangements to bring the bodies back to Odisha.

Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das and Chief Minister’s Office representative Khitish Swain visited the family’s residence and met Banamali Behera and other relatives. They expressed condolences and assured the grieving family of all possible support.