Four young men were killed and three others injured after a live power line snapped and fell onto a Ganesh pandal in Hirapur village of Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district early Saturday morning, according to local authorities and police.
The incident took place at around 5 a.m. under the jurisdiction of Nainpur police station. Around seven to eight youths were reportedly sleeping inside the temporary pandal after returning from the Ganesh idol immersion procession.
Preliminary information suggests that strong winds and rain caused a wire near an electricity pole’s meter box to snap. The live wire fell onto the damp tent structure, causing an electric current to pass through the pandal and resulting in multiple casualties.
The deceased have been identified as Jainu Bhanwre, 19; Ravi Jhariya, 24; Krishna Kumar Bhanwre, 18; and Virendra Bhanwre, 24.
Three others sustained injuries in the incident and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. One of the injured, identified as Priyanshu, was reported to be in critical condition and was referred to Mandla District Hospital for further treatment.
Police, district administration officials and teams from the state electricity board reached the spot following the incident. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the power-line failure and the exact sequence of events.
Further details regarding the injured victims and the investigation are awaited.