Hyderabad: Three persons were electrocuted to death in two separate incidents while carrying Ganesh idols in Hyderabad, said officials on Tuesday.
The incidents happened late on Monday night. In the first incident at Bandlaguda, two persons reportedly died and another was injured after an electric shock while bringing a huge Ganesh idol for installation.
The incident occurred when the victims came in contact with an overhead electric wire while clearing the way for the 23-ft idol. The injured person was admitted to a hospital. Police shifted the bodies to the government-run Osmania Hospital for autopsy.
Officials of the electricity department, however, denied deaths due to electrocution. They said the youth died after falling from the vehicle carrying the idol.
Police registered a case and took up the investigation.
In another incident, a youth was electrocuted to death in a similar incident in Amberpet. The youth suffered the shock while carrying the idol to the ‘Mandapam’ in his locality.
Every year, thousands of idols are installed in ‘Mandapams’ across the city for the 10-day festivities.
This year, Ganesh Chaturthi begins on August 25 with the immersion procession scheduled on September 6.
The two incidents occurred just a day after six devotees lost their lives and two others were injured due to electric shock during the Rath Yatra in the Ramanthapur area of the city.
A Rath being carried by a group of devotees as part of Sri Krishnashtami celebrations came into contact with an electric wire in the early hours of Monday.
According to Musharraf Ali Faruqui, Chairman and Managing Director, Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL), a TV cable conductor came into contact with an electric wire, and when the Rath touched the TV cable conductor, it resulted in the tragedy.
The state government announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ordered a probe.
State Minister for Information Technology and Industries D. Sridhar Babu, who called on the injured, promised a thorough inquiry and action against those found negligent.
(IANS)
