Four people died and three others were injured after a live electric wire snapped and fell on them while they were sleeping inside a Ganesh pandal in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district early Saturday morning, police said.
मध्य प्रदेश: मंडला जिले में गणेश पंडाल के अंदर बिजली का तार गिरने से चार की मौत, तीन झुलसे
Four youths died and three others were injured due to electrocution at a Ganesh pandal in Hirapur village, under the Nainpur police station area of Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district. The deceased have been identified as Jainu Bhanware (19), Ravi Jharia (24), Krishna Kumar Bhanware (18), and Virendra Bhanware (24). Police stated that one of the injured, identified as Priyanshu, was in critical condition and was referred to the district hospital for further treatment. According to Nainpur Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Manish Raj, members of the Ganesh Utsav Committee returned to the village around 4 AM on Saturday following the idol immersion. Subsequently, seven youths stayed back inside the pandal to guard the items and equipment used for the tableau.
Manish Raj told IANS, “An electric wire came into contact with the pandal, causing an electric shock to the youths sleeping inside. Four of them died, while three others were injured.”
Upon receiving information about the incident, police and district administration officials arrived at the scene and initiated an investigation.
Manish Raj noted that the pandal was a permanent structure, and the exact cause of the incident has not yet been ascertained. A team from the electricity company was investigating whether the accident was caused by a power line snapping and falling onto the structure or by a short circuit.
He said, “The electricity department team is inspecting the site to determine whether the current spread due to a snapped wire or a short circuit. The exact cause will become clear only after the technical investigation.”
The bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examinations, while the injured received medical treatment. Police stated that further investigation is underway. Sarpanch Premchand Bhavre said, “Local children used to sleep in the pandal at night. After returning to the village following the immersion ceremony, the youths slept inside the pandal to guard the belongings. A sudden storm struck during the night, and the accident occurred when a wire came into contact with the iron grille installed in front of the pandal.”
A local woman said, “A very tragic incident has occurred here. Like every year, the youths of Hirapur Gram Panchayat had set up a Ganesh pandal and were celebrating with great enthusiasm. The immersion of the Ganesh idol was also carried out with great zeal. The youths thought, ‘Why leave the pandal empty tonight?’ So, just as we used to stay and sleep here, they too slept right there. They were aged between 17 and 24, and all were unmarried. We had no idea that their enthusiasm would turn into such deep mourning.”
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