RANCHI: In a tragic incident, two school students were electrocuted to death, and seven others sustained burn injuries after a temple chariot (rath) came into contact with an 11,000-volt high-tension overhead transmission line.
The chariot had been parked near the school premises following the Rath Yatra on July 16.
During the lunch break, several children were said to be playing near the Rath. All students belong to Sri Hari Plus-2 School at Torpa in Khunti.
According to reports, the chariot was later being shifted from one spot to another with the help of a few of the children when it accidentally touched the overhead high-voltage transmission line.
The resulting electric surge passed through the chariot, electrocuting the children and leaving several of them with burn injuries.
According to eyewitnesses, while the chariot was being moved forward, a metal part of it came into contact with an overhead power line.
"An intense electric current surged through it instantly, affecting the students present nearby," he said.
Chaos erupted immediately after the accident as panic gripped the area. Amid the screams and confusion, residents acted swiftly and courageously to rescue the injured children from the electrified chariot. They then rushed the victims to the Torpa hospital for urgent medical treatment.
The injured children were taken to Torpa Referral Hospital, while the two critically injured students were referred to Sadar Hospital, but Chandan Kumar, 17, and Tejeshwar Mahto, 17, succumbed to their injuries before reaching the hospital.
Doctors informed that both students were found dead.
“Both the students were found dead at about 2 pm on Monday. Any details could be shared only after the postmortem, but during the investigation, it was found that their faces had turned black. I was told that they were hit by current,” said Dr Raghunandan Bhagat at Sadar Hospital in Khunti.
Another critically injured student was referred to RIMS for advanced treatment, while the remaining injured students are undergoing treatment at Torpa Referral Hospital.
Nanka Yadav, father of the deceased student, Chandan, said that he rushed to the hospital immediately upon hearing the news of his son's electrocution and found his son dead.
The injured students, Rupesh Singh, Arman Alam, Pankaj Ram, Giriraj Yadav, Sujay Lohra, Nilay Ekka, and one other student, were also sent to RIMS in critical condition.
According to the school principal, Kiran Herenj, many students go to their homes for lunch.
She expressed ignorance of how the children reached near the Rath at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, James Kujur, Executive Engineer of the Electricity Department, said that the department had neither been contacted nor had it granted any permission for moving the chariot.
An FIR will be lodged against the person responsible.
Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, former Union Minister and former Chief Minister Arjun Munda described it as truly heart-wrenching.
He directed the Khunti district administration to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured and to provide immediate assistance to the affected families, including the next of kin of the deceased.
