HYDERABAD: What began as a night of devotion and festivity ended in devastation for several families in Ramanthapur when the Sri Krishna Shobha Yatra turned into a fatal tragedy on Sunday night.
For the family of P Krishna Yadav (21), the loss is unbearable. “Before leaving home, he just said he would bring his father along and stepped out. He never returned,” recalled his inconsolable mother Renuka.
Krishna’s father, P Raghu Yadav, president of the Ramanthapur Yadav Sangham, had been waiting at the community hall where the procession was set to conclude.
“I first heard cheers from the crowd, and within minutes those joyful cries turned into screams. When I rushed forward, I saw my son unconscious right before my eyes,” he said. Despite desperate attempts by bystanders to revive him with CPR, Krishna could not be saved. He was the sole breadwinner of the family,
According to eyewitnesses, tragedy struck when the iron chariot carrying the idol came into contact with a live overhead wire. “Two people who were pulling the chariot died instantly. Seven others collapsed. We tried CPR and called an ambulance, but it took nearly 40 minutes to arrive. By then, three people had already died,” said a resident.
Suresh Yadav, a milk vendor who died, was the sole support for his family. Srikanth Reddy, another victim, leaves behind a wife and two young children.
“All of them came from middle-class families. The government must step in to support these grieving households,” said another mourner at the scene.
“Every year, the Sri Krishna Janmashtami Shobha Yatra is celebrated with grandeur in the locality. Due to heavy rain on Sunday night, the procession was delayed. This year’s celebrations ended in unspeakable sorrow for five families,” one of the locals added.