Officials in northern India said ten other villagers were injured as they fell into the well and were taken to hospital in the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh state.

The well was more than 15 metres (50ft) deep said Muralidhar Singh, a rescuer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "heart-wrenching" and said he was praying for the swift recovery of the injured.

He tweeted: "I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this. With this, I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The local administration is involved in all possible help."

Authorities are investigating the incident in the village, which is about 300 kilometres (200 miles) east of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.