Bihar: Nine Kanwar Yatra pilgrims electrocuted to death, three injured

Representational Image. Pic/PTI

At least nine Kanwar Yatra pilgrims were electrocuted to death and three others sustained injuries when they came in contact with a high-tension overhead wire in Bihar's Vaishali district, a senior official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

The incident took place in Sultanpur village in Industrial police station area in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday.

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Officials investigating the matter said action will be taken if lapses are found in anyone's part, reported ANI.

"Nine Kanwar Yatra pilgrims (Kanwariyas) died and three sustained severe injuries when a high tension overhead wire fell on their vehicle in Sultanpur village under the jurisdiction of Industrial police station in Vaishali district, reported ANI.

"The incident took place in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday when the Kanwariyas were going to Baba Harihar Nath Temple in Sonepur to perform Jalabhishekh," Rambabu Baitha, Sub-divisional Officer of Hajipur-Sadar, told reporters.

Baitha had earlier said that eight people died in the incident.

The injured persons have been admitted to a hospital where their condition is stated to be stable.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination and the matter is being investigated, he added.

Om Prakash, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Hajipur told ANI that the height of their vehicle was very high and it touched a high-tension wire.

"The Kanwariyas were going on a DJ-mounted trolley. The DJ-mounted trolley was very high and there was a wire in which it got entangled. DJ trolley came in contact with 11000 high tension wire due to which some devotees died, while some others were injured and are undergoing treatment," Sadar SDPO Hajipur Omprakash told reporters.

Further investigation is underway.

Earlier on July 29, two Kanwariyas died and around five others sustained injuries after a container hit the tractor-trolly in which they were travelling in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, reported ANI.

The accident occurred near Deori village on National Highway 44 under the jurisdiction of the Civil Lines police station in the district.

Sawan month is considered the month of Lord Shiva. The devotees who worshipped the Lord Shiva this month received tonnes of blessings. During the Sawan month, a day of Shivratri is also celebrated and the importance of Sawan Shivratri is the same and equal to that of the yearly Shivratri.

Kanwariyas are Shiva devotees who visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga and then worship God with that water.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)