A wedding celebration turned to tragedy when at least 13 women and children, including a one-year-old baby, died after a well lid collapsed as they partied.
A metal slab covering an abandoned village well collapsed under their weight, authorities from Uttar Pradesh state in northern India said on Wednesday.
The group had been singing and dancing to celebrate a wedding in the Kushinagar district when the metal covering gave way.
Another ten villagers were also injured as they fell in the well and were rushed to hospital, reported the Express.
Local police told NBC News one of the victims was a one-year-old child.
Muralidhar Singh, one of the rescuers, said that the well was more than 50 feet deep.
Guests desperately tried to help retrieve the people who had fallen into the well and take the injured to hospital.
The accident took place during the traditional "Haldi" part of the wedding service when relatives put turmeric on the bride and groom's faces to wish them prosperity.
Eleven people were declared dead at the scene, with two more victims dying after being taken to hospital for treatment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the accident was "heart-wrenching."
Mr Modi said: "I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives.
"I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The local administration will help in every possible way."
News-18 reported the Indian leader announced £1,957 would be paid in compensation to the families of the victims and £489 to the injured.
Kushinagar police chief Sachindra Patel reportedly said an investigation was under way into how the well lid came to collapse.
They added: "This is an unfortunate incident during a wedding ceremony."
District magistrate S Rajalingam told how the metal slab failed to withstand the weight of the wedding guests.
He said: "During a wedding programme, some people were sitting on a slab of a well and due to heavy load, the slab broke."
Rescue operations continued past midnight on Thursday, with senior officers continuing to monitor the situation.
