A high-tension power line fell onto a crowd of pilgrims in rural Uttar Pradesh, leaving at least one person dead and several others injured, officials said on Saturday.
The incident took place in Bhawanpur's Rali Chauhan village in Meerut district where Kanwariyas, devotees of Lord Shiva, was preparing for the Kanwar Yatra, a religious pilgrimage where millions of adherents from across India participate annually.
The high-tension wire collapsed onto the crowd, electrocuting more than a dozen people, with many more injured. One of the pilgrims, identified as Manish, died instantly from the shock, while the condition of two other victims is reported to be critical. The injured were rushed to different hospitals in the vicinity.
The tragedy triggered a wave of anger among the villagers, who blocked a road in protest. They demanded immediate action against the electricity department officials for their negligence that led to the fatal accident.
"The accident was a result of negligence in the preparation for the Kanwar Yatra," said a local resident, voicing the sentiment of many villagers. The villagers' demand for accountability and justice underscored the tension in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The Kanwar Yatra is the largest religious gathering in India, drawing an estimated 10 to 12 million participants each year from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Odisha, and Jharkhand. The pilgrims, known as Kanwariyas, dress in saffron attire, often walking barefoot alongside vehicles on highways in a show of devotion.
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/nNusb9a
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