Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu): At least 11 persons including two children have been electrocuted to death in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur during the Appar Mutt chariot procession during the wee hours on Wednesday. The temple chariot came in contact with the over head high-voltage electric wire when the chariot was returning to the Mutt after its run.
Ten of them, including an ex-military man, a minor, died on the spot while 14 others were shifted to a hospital. Another teenager who was undergoing treatment at the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital (TMCH) succumbed to the injuries, taking the casualty tally in the accident to 11.
The deceased are identified as K Pratap (36), an ex-serviceman, M Mohan (22), A Anbalagan (60), his son Raghavan (24), Nagaraj (60), R Santosh (15), D Selvam (56), M Rajkumar (14), R Saminathan (56), and A Govindaraj. S Bharanitharan (13) succumbed not responding to the treatment later at the hospital.
Sources said the incident took place at around 3.15 am when the chariot was set to head back to its station after the last stop in the procession. While turning the car around, the power generator tailing the chariot veered off the road. It also pulled off the chariot which touched the live wire resulting in electrocution, an eyewitness said.
There was chaos as the chariot immediately caught fire and some holding on to the rope being thrown off as electricity discharged through it. A man who was sitting away from the procession died of electrocution as he attempted to rescue one of the injured lying down at the accident spot, the eyewitness said.
The locals said that the road was recently laid and was not properly levelled on the edges which led to the mishap. The devotees have also poured water on the road to welcome the chariot during the procession, which increased the casualties. The entire wet road area passed the electricity.
District Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver met the injured at the hospital and offered his condolences to the bereaved families. He has suggested the doctors to provide timely and good treatment to the injured. IGP Central Zone Tiruchirappalli V Balakrishnan and SP Ravali Priya visited the hospital.
A senior police official said that there was no need to turn off the power as the actual height of the chariot was only 30 ft. "The height of the chariot went up while decorating it. there was no need for the chariot to pass any overhead cable. It veered off the road to the cable which led to the mishap," the official said.
President Ram Nath Kovind condoled the loss of lives terming it is a tragedy beyond words. The loss of life, including that of children, due to electrocution in a procession in Thanjavur is a tragedy beyond words. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured, Kovind tweeted. Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi too have condoled the incident.
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Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 27, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 27, 2022Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 27, 2022
State Legislative Assembly paid its respects to the deceased by observing a two-minute condolence in the House. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Minister Anbil Mahesh are set to travel to Thanjavur to offer condolences to the families of the victims. Stalin has also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh as solatium while Modi has announced said Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to the bereaved families.
The mishap occurred while celebrating the Sathaya Vizha (birth anniversary) of Saivite Saint Appar (Thirunavukkarasar), a custom which the Mutt have been observing for nearly a century in the non-descript Kalimedu village. The 94th three-day Sathaya Vizha began on Tuesday and the chariot procession started on Wednesday early in the morning.
