Punjab: Four killed as pickup vehicle plunges into canal

Four people were killed after a pickup vehicle fell into the Sirhind canal near Jagera bridge in Punjab's Ludhiana district, police said.

The incident took place on Sunday night when a group of around 25 devotees was returning after paying obeisance at Mata Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh.

The dead included two children, a police official told reporters in Ludhiana.

Police said that the van plunged into the canal when its driver lost control while overtaking another vehicle at the bank of the canal.

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain and Senior Superintendent of Police Jyoti Yadav rushed to the spot and supervised the rescue operation.

Most of the devotees were saved and were taken to nearby hospitals. However, three are still missing, according to officials.

The deputy commissioner said four bodies have been recovered so far.