In a tragic incident on Wednesday, 16 people, including a cop, were killed and eleven others injured, some seriously, when they reportedly came into contact with live electricity at the Namami Gange Project site in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, about 600 kilometres from here.
According to police sources, the death toll could increase as some of the injured were in critical condition. Six injured were rushed to the AIIMS in Rishikesh by a chopper while five were admitted to the district hospital.
The incident happened after a team of policemen and some other persons working at the Project went to the site following reports of the death of the caretaker of the site, Ganesh Lal, after coming into contact with live electricity.
Conflicting reports emerged over how the victims came into contact with live electricity.
According to one report, a transformer exploded at the site following which the railing of a bridge on the Alaknanda river carried current and the police team and others who had reached to investigate the death of the caretaker, inadvertently touched the railing, and were electrocuted.
Another report said that there was some fault in the transmission lines and the same was repaired on Wednesday morning. As the lines were reconnected with the main supply lines, live current started to flow in the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at the Project, electrocuting these persons.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushker Singh Dhami said that a magisterial probe had been ordered into the incident. The state government also announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.