Tamil Nadu: 11 Killed In Electrocution During Procession In Thanjavur

Image Credit: Surya Reddy
Image Credit: Surya Reddy

Eleven people were killed in electrocution at a festival in Kalimedu village near Thanjavur. The upper part of a chariot erected on a high voltage wire during a chariot festival in Kalimedu village near Thanjavur.

There is a temple for the Upper Monastery in the village of Kalimedu, which is 8 km away from Thanjavur. Accordingly, the festival started yesterday morning. The main event of the festival, Therotam, starts at 10 pm.

The chariot, which was about 15 feet high and decorated with lights, was adorned with flowers. They also had a large generator facility at the back of the chariot to light the decorative electric lights. Many adults and children of the village grabbed the rope and dragged it around the village.

At around 3.15 am on Wednesday, the chariot returned to the main road from a Street. At that time, it overturned on a high-voltage power line about 30 feet above. This electrocutes the people who were holding the rope and the people who were around the chariot.

The reports confirmed 11 deaths, including two children who pulled the chariot. Seven people died on the spot. M K Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, expressed his condolences to the victim's family on Wednesday and gave a financial aid of Rs 5 lakh as compensation. He also ordered the district administration and police to speed up the rescue operations.

Prime Minister Modi has tweeted, "Deeply pained by the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I hope those injured recover soon: PM @narendramodi."