Jabalpur, Sep 25 (IANS) In a disturbing incident during Durga Puja celebrations in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, two children lost their lives after being electrocuted near a pandal in the Bargi Hills area.

The incident happened late Wednesday evening. The victims, identified as Ayush Jharia, aged 8, and Ved Shrivas, aged 10, had gone to attend the ‘aarti’ ceremony at the pandal located in front of the Chief Engineer’s Office.

According to eyewitnesses and police reports, the children came into contact with an iron pipe carrying an electric current, part of the decorative lighting setup outside the pandal.

The tragedy occurred around 9 p.m., causing panic among devotees present at the venue. The children collapsed immediately after the shock and were rushed to the medical college hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Following the Panchnama proceedings, the bodies were sent for post-mortem examination. Preliminary investigations revealed that while the organisers had secured a proper electricity connection for the pandal itself, the external decorations were powered through unsafe wiring, which led to the fatal accident.

Tilwaraghat police have registered a case and launched a formal investigation.

City Superintendent of Police Ashish Jain confirmed that an FIR would be filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In response to the incident, Jabalpur Collector Raghavendra Singh constituted a three-member committee headed by Gorakhpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Anurag Singh to probe the circumstances leading to the electrocution.

The committee has been directed to examine all possible angles and submit its report within three days.

Public Works Minister Rakesh Singh expressed deep sorrow over the incident and directed the district administration to provide financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the bereaved families through the Red Cross. He emphasised the need for strict safety protocols during public events and urged organisers to ensure proper electrical installations to prevent such tragedies in the future.

–IANS

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