Two ‘electrocuted’ to death, 5 injured in Barabanki temple

The deceased were identified as Ramesh Kumar, 28, and Prashant Kumar, 17.

The incident occurred at the Awsaneshwar temple when a wire broke off and fell on the temple’s tin shed, under which a crowd of devotees had assembled to offer ‘jal abhishek’ (offering water and milk to Shivlinga) at 2.30 am, the administration said in a statement.

The wire, which was used for lighting inside the temple, broke off after a group of monkeys jumped on it, the officials said.

Barabanki District Magistrate (DM) Shashank Tripathi told The Indian Express, “The autopsy confirmed that the two deaths were caused due to electrocution. The cremation of the two victims was held in the afternoon at their villages.”

“Both Ramesh Kumar and Prashant Kumar belonged to the Haidergarh area of the district. The Chief Minister has announced Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of both the deceased,” Tripathi added.

Tripathi said a spot verification was done and there was no need for an investigation since there was no negligence behind the incident.

“This is a Shiva temple and devotees from nearby areas had started gathering since night for the ‘jal abhishek’. The queue of the devotees was moving in and out of the temple when monkeys suddenly started jumping on the tin shed while hanging on the wires. A wire fell on the shed and two of the visitors came in contact with the shed. Five others close to them also suffered electric shocks,” Tripathi said.

DM Tripathi said the two electrocuted were declared dead at the hospital while five others were discharged after the treatment. “There was no law and order problem after the incident and devotees have been visiting the temple throughout the day since early morning,” he added.

The Awasaneshwar is another prominent temple in Barabanki after Lodheshwar temple of Lord Shiva where kanwariyas offer ‘sacred water’ brought from nearby districts.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an event, DGP Rajeev Krishna said senior officials, including the zonal and range-level officers, visited the spot. “Two people unfortunately died in the incident, which was caused due to electrocution and not because of any stampede. Almost all of the injured have been discharged from hospital after treatment. Some are under observation,” he said.

Expressing “deep sorrow” over the loss of lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his condolences to the bereaved families. “He (CM) has directed the district administration officials to expedite the proper treatment of the injured and relief operations,” Adityanath’s office posted on X in Hindi.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties demanded compensation for the victims.

The Samajwadi Party posted on X, “The government should give a compensation of Rs 1 crore each to the families of the deceased devotees, ensure proper treatment and compensation for those injured and disclose the correct number of deaths.” The UP Congress described the incident as “extremely tragic”.

“The news of the death of two devotees due to an electric shock and several others being injured is distressing. We express our deep condolences to the grieving families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” it posted on X.

“This incident points to serious deficiencies in the arrangements. Robust security and crowd management measures are extremely necessary at religious sites. We demand that the government provide appropriate compensation and all possible assistance to the affected families,” the Congress state unit said.

— PTI