As many as 11 persons died due to electrocution on Wednesday after a temple chariot in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur city came in contact with a high tension wire, the police told PTI.
The Appar temple chariot procession was underway on Wednesday morning near Kalimedu village when the incident occurred. The temple car was taking a turn, when it came in contact with an obstacle and hit a live wire, the police and witnesses said. The devotees atop the chariot were thrown off on impact.
The deceased include three children, according to The News Minute.
At least 15 persons have received serious injuries and a first information report has been filed to investigate the matter, V Balakrishnan, Inspector General of Police of Tiruchirappalli (Central Zone) told ANI.
Ten of the victims died on the spot, and the other one, a 13-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, The News Minute reported. The injured were rushed to Thanjavur Medical College.
Those who died in the accident have been identified as Mohan (22), Pratap (36), Raghavan (24), Anbazhagan (60), Nagaraj (60), Santosh (15), Chellam (56), Rajkumar (14), Swaminathan (56) and two others, according to The News Minute.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased. He is likely to meet them later on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that the families of the deceased will get Rs 2 lakh each as compensation from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The injured will be given Rs 50,000 each.
“Deeply pained by the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu,” said the prime minister in a tweet. “My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I hope those injured recover soon.”
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