Jhumpura/Koraput: Three persons were killed Wednesday in separate incidents of electrocution during Bahuda Jatra festival in Keonjhar and Koraput districts. In the first incident Wednesday noon, two persons were electrocuted and four others sustained serious injuries after the flag of the chariot came in contact with a live 11-KV wire ahead of the ‘Pahandi Bije’ rituals of the deities before pulling of the chariots at Kendua village under Jhumpura block in Keonjhar district. The deceased were identified as Jugal Kishore Barik, 40, of Bhubanpasi village and Barun Giri, 42, of Kendua village. Tragedy struck when three persons pulling the chariot tried to turn it sideways. An iron pole hoisting the flag came in contact with a live wire leaving the three seriously injured. They were rushed to the Jhumpura hospital where doctors declared two dead on arrival. The third injured, Shankarshan Pradhan, 42 was shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Keonjhar after his condition deteriorated.
In the second incident, a youth was electrocuted and another sustained critical injuries after the ‘Taladhwaja’ chariot of the deity constructed of iron came in contact with a live wire at Kolab Nagar in Koraput district. The deceased was identified as Babula Nahak, 28 while Krishna Rao, 54 is undergoing treatment. Champua Power department SDO Narayan Behera ruled out any wrongdoing on the part of the local office. He said that the 11-KV line was 30 feet behind the spot where the chariot had been parked. He blamed locals for pushing the chariot backward due to which the accident occurred
