In a tragic accident, as many as 11 persons, including three minors, were electrocuted and 17 injured after a temple cart, which was on a procession, came in contact with a high-tension transmission line on the last day of an annual festival in Kalimedu village in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district in the early hours of Wednesday.
The temple cart, decorated with two iron frames and serial lights, was returning to the Appar Temple in Kalimedu, four km from Thanjavur and 345 km from Chennai, after a nearly four-hour-long procession when it came in contact with the transmission line while negotiating a turn.
The three-day festival is a nine-decade long tradition followed by the villagers and is organised during the Tamil month of Chithirai (mid-April to mid-May) in honour of Thirugnana Sambandhar or Appar, a celebrated Tamil Shaivite poet of the 7th century.
Eye-witnesses said three persons who were near the top of the chariot were charred to death within seconds of the chariot coming in contact with the transmission line. Others who were pulling the cart were also electrocuted.
“We saw people falling one by one. There was chaos everywhere and we didn’t know what was happening. Only after we doused the fire using water, we were exposed to the tragedy. We can never forget this,” Elangovan, a resident of the village, said.
Another villager said the chariot caught fire at 2.40 am just a few minutes before it was to reach the temple. “We saw the chariot burning. We kept shouting at the people inside the chariot to switch off the generator. But they did not hear us. By the time we doused the fire, everything was over,” the villager added.
Making a statement regarding the incident in the Assembly, Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji said the 33 KV Karandhai feeder was placed at a “safe height” of 23 feet. “The 33 KV transmission line tripped immediately after the chariot came in contact with it. However, the generator, inside the chariot, which was powering the street lights and the chariot were running for a few minutes even after the fire. Only after people poured water on the chariot and the generator, the fire was doused,” Balaji added.
He suggested that the accident could have taken place due to the continuous running of the generator and power supply from it which could have extended to the decorative frames.
The fire incident led to several questions on whether the temple organisers sought necessary permission from authorities for the chariot procession, and whether the electricity department knew the route of the procession.
Chief Minister M K Stalin ordered an inquiry by Kumar Jayant, Principal Secretary (Revenue), to go into the incident and submit a report. Rushing to the village, Stalin also handed over a solatium of Rs 5 lakh each to the next kin of the deceased on behalf of the government. He met the families of the victims and visited the injured at the Thanjavur government hospital.
V Balakrishnan, Inspector General of Police (Central Zone), said though the top portion of the chariot could be folded, it was not adjusted while taking the U-turn. “Initial investigations say the chariot came in contact with the live wire and it caught fire. A detailed inquiry is on,” he added.
Balaji said the accident could have been averted had the top portion of the chariot folded.
President Ram Nath Kovind condoled the loss of lives due to the electrocution, saying it is a tragedy beyond words.
“The loss of life, including that of children, due to electrocution in a procession in Thanjavur is a tragedy beyond words. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Kovind tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in the mishap.
Quoting Prime Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) tweeted "Deeply pained by the mishap in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. I hope those injured recover soon."
The Prime Minister has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakhs to the next kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the accident from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).