Hyderabad: The death toll in the Sri Krishnashtami chariot procession tragedy at Ramanthapur rose to six after another injured participant, identified as Ganesh, 21, from Amberpet, died while undergoing treatment at Osmania General Hospital on Monday afternoon.
Telangana State Power Distribution Company CMD Musharraf Faruqui inspected the accident site at Gokul Nagar and said the mishap occurred after a TV cable conductor wire came into contact with an 11 KV power line. He explained that electricity had passed into the cable, which touched the procession chariot, resulting in the fatal electrocution. Faruqui assured that the matter would be taken to the government and ex gratia would be provided to the victims’ families. He also announced immediate removal of dangling wires in the locality and corrective measures to fix low-hanging power lines. Similar inspections would be carried out citywide ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Navratri, he added.
Ramanthapur electrocution deaths trigger protest
Tension gripped Ramanthapur as residents of Gokul Nagar staged a road blockade on the Ramanthapur–Uppal stretch, alleging that negligence by electricity department officials had led to the deaths. Protesters demanded ₹50 lakh compensation and government jobs for the families of the deceased. They also called for strict action against officials responsible for the lapses. The demonstration disrupted traffic in the area for several hours.
Doctors confirmed that Ganesh, one of the four persons injured in the accident, succumbed to burns during treatment, taking the official toll in the Ramanthapur electrocution deaths to six.
