Electric shock kills two at Ganesh pandal
An eight-year-old girl and a woman were killed, while four others were injured after suffering electric shocks at a temporary drinking water stall near a Ganesh pandal in Mumbai's Lalbaug area early on Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred apparently after a short circuit near the entrance gate of the Mahaganpati Utsav Mandal in Digvijay Mill Chawl (row tenement) on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki at 2.20 am, when the area was witnessing massive crowds during the ongoing Ganesh festival, they said.
Electric current was detected at a temporary drinking water and cold drink stall erected near the pandal entrance, the officials said. Following the incident, fire brigade personnel immediately switched off the power supply at the spot, and the area was cordoned off as a precautionary measure.
Six persons who suffered electric shocks were rushed to nearby hospitals, where two of them were declared dead, the officials said.
A girl, identified as Raghini Ghanshyam Yadav (8), was declared brought dead at Masina Hospital in Byculla. Three others -- Kiran Akbar Naik (19), Tanvi Naresh Hande (19), and Sahil Sandip Tare (19) -- were undergoing treatment at the hospital, and their condition was reported to be stable, a civic official said.
Two other persons were taken to Global Hospital in Parel, where a woman, identified as Sujata (33), was declared brought dead. A minor girl, Ruhi Singh (12), was in a critical condition and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the official said.
Officials from Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking conducted a site inspection at the chawl, which indicated that a temporary electric meter was installed for illumination of the Ganesh festival celebration and the cold drink stall. Its wiring and MCB (miniature circuit breaker) were disconnected by a local electrician, officials said.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Sunday evening, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking said that following the incident, its officials disconnected the power supply to temporary meter No. M-217392 installed at the Kalachowky Vibhag Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal.
BEST also issued a 38B notice to the mandal for faulty electrical installation, the statement said.
The local wireman had already switched off the distribution box supply. BEST and PWD officials inspected the site, while an assistant commissioner of police and his team visited the spot, the BEST statement said.
The Kalachowki police have initiated a detailed investigation into the incident to ascertain the cause of the short circuit, the officials added.
Speaking on the incident, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar asked Ganpati mandals to give highest priority to safety of devotees and be vigilant and responsible towards crowd management.
“Ganeshotsav is a festival of faith, enthusiasm and social harmony. However, the safety of citizens and devotees must remain the highest priority during the celebrations. Every Ganesh mandal must strictly follow safety regulations in its area as well as the guidelines issued by the administration,” Shelar said.
