Bhubaneswar, September 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed condolences over the death of eight people from Odisha after the car they were travelling in was swept away by a rain-swollen stream near the Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Agar Malwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

PM Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased.

An amount of Rs 50,000 would be given to those injured in the incident.

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An official statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stated, “The mishap in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.”

At least eight people, including three children, two women and three men, died after a car carrying devotees was swept away in a rain-swollen stream near Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda area of Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district, police said.

According to Agar Malwa Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar Soni, the incident took place when the vehicle carrying the devotees attempted to cross the stream amid strong currents.

Sources said the car was recovered after the water receded on Saturday morning. The victims were reportedly from the Jayadev Vihar area of Bhubaneswar and included the owner of a well known dhaba in Bhubaneswar and his family members and relatives.

Administrative officials and rescue teams reached the spot and launched a rescue operation. Preliminary findings suggest that the driver may have attempted to cross the stream hastily amid the strong current, leading to the accident.