Two electrocuted in Tamil Nadu after Ganesha chariot touches overhead cable

Two men were electrocuted and three others sustained injuries when a huge decorated wooden car that was used to transport a Ganesha idol during an immersion procession in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar came into contact with an overhead power cable, a top district official said on Thursday, September 1. The incident happened when the 'chapparam' was returning to its position near Rajapalayam, District Collector J Meghanatha Reddy said.

The mishap occurred around 10.30 pm on Wednesday when the chariot was being brought to its stand after the immersion of the idol of Ganesha was completed. "Unfortunately, two persons died and three others sustained injuries due to electrocution when the chariot came into contact with a live overhead cable," Reddy told PTI.

The villagers of Chokkanathanputhur near Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district, about 520 km from Chennai, took out a procession on Wednesday night and immersed the idol in a nearby lake. While some people were bringing the empty car back, a portion of the car touched an overhead cable, resulting in five people getting a shock. S Munishwaran (24) and K Marimuthu (23) died while the injured Selva Ganesh, Selvapandi and Muppidathi are undergoing treatment at the government hospital in the district. The Collector visited the injured at the hospital and also consoled the grieving family members.

State Governor RN Ravi expressed anguish over the incident and condoled the deaths. He "prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured," a Raj Bhavan tweet said.