New Delhi: Five women missing while two have been rescued after seven women slipped in the backwater of Gandhisagar dam in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur on Sunday.

Five of seven women, who all were returning after working on the farm, are missing while two were rescued.

The accident happened in Tolkhedi village near Suwasra in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district.

Confirming the incident, Mandsaur district collector, Gautam Singh told News24 that in an attempt to save one woman who slipped into the backwater of Gandhisagar dam other women also fell into it.

“Two have been rescued and five are still missing,” Singh confirms.

The State Disaster Response Force is on its way to the spot along with divers and boats, Singh said, adding that the local administration is already present at the spot and is searching for the missing persons.

MP’s cabinet minister and MLA from Suwasra Hardeep Singh Dang said that he has instructed Mandsaur Collector and Superintendent of Police to make immediate arrangements for the rescue operation.

It was earlier reported that a boat carrying seven women capsized into the river, however, the collector later confirmed to News 24 that it was actually backwater of Gandhisagar dam where the incident happened.

मंदसौर जिले की सुवासरा विधानसभा के ग्राम तोलाखेड़ी में नदी में नाव डूबने का समाचार प्राप्त हुआ है।
खेत से काम कर लौट रही सात महिलाएं नदी में डूबी हैं।मैंने मंदसौर कलेक्टर एवं पुलिस अधीक्षक से चर्चा कर मौके पर तत्काल गोताखोर और अन्य व्यवस्थाएं भेजे जाने के निर्देश प्रदान किए हैं।

— Hardeep Singh Dang ( मोदी का परिवार ) (@HardeepDang226) October 16, 2022

“The news of a boat sinking in the river has been received in the village Tolkhedi of Suwasra Vidhan Sabha of Mandsaur district,” Dang tweeted.

Dang said that he has informed MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan about the accident, who expressed concern over the incident.

The Suwasra MLA further said that he has cancelled all his Bhopal programmes and has left for Tolkhedi.

Police and other officials have reached the spot. Rescue operations are underway.