Ranchi, July 20: A religious procession in Jharkhand’s Khunti district turned tragic on Monday when a Jagannath Rath Yatra chariot allegedly came into contact with an overhead high-tension power line, leaving two students dead and seven others injured.
The accident took place in Torpa during the annual Rath Yatra celebrations.
According to preliminary information, the metallic upper section of the chariot is suspected to have touched a live electricity wire while devotees were pulling it along the procession route.
The contact reportedly caused the chariot to become electrically charged, resulting in electric shocks to several participants.
The deceased have been identified as 17-year-old Chandan Kumar and 17-year-old Tijeshwar Gop, both students of Shrihari Plus Two School in Torpa.
They sustained severe injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital before being referred to Khunti Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Seven other people suffered burn injuries in the incident. Medical officials said some of the injured were in critical condition and were receiving treatment at different hospitals.
Local residents and volunteers rushed to the victims’ aid immediately after the accident.
The power supply in the area was reportedly disconnected to facilitate rescue efforts, following which the injured were shifted to medical facilities for treatment.
Senior police and district administration officials visited the site and launched an inquiry into the incident.
Authorities are examining the circumstances that led to the accident and whether all necessary safety measures had been implemented for the procession.
The incident has sparked concerns over safety protocols during large public and religious events, particularly in areas where overhead power lines pass above procession routes.
Residents have called for a thorough investigation and stricter precautions to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Officials had not issued a detailed statement on the cause of the accident or responsibility for the incident at the time of filing this report.
