On Wednesday, June 28, 6 people lost their lives whereas 15 were left injured after a ‘Ulta Rath Yatra’ chariot caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension wire. This tragic incident took place in the Unakoti district of the northeastern state of Tripura, at 4.30 PM, in the Kumarghat area.
The ‘Ulta Rath Yatra’ takes place a week after the Rath Yatra, when Lord Balbhadra, Lord Jagannath, and Devi Subhadra, return to their abode. The chariot, which was made of iron, was being pulled by thousands of devotees, when it came in contact with a 133KV overhead cable, as revealed by the police. And while 15 people received burn injuries, 6 lost their lives on the spot. The injured are being treated at a nearby hospital, and their condition is critical.
Tripura Chief Minister, Dr Manik Saha, took to Twitter to condole the deaths, and said, “In a tragic accident at Kumarghat, several pilgrims lost their lives and several others were injured due to electrocution while pulling the ‘Ulta Rath’. I am deeply saddened by this incident. Deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Also, I wish the injured persons a speedy recovery. The state government stands by them in this difficult time”.
An investigation has begun to figure out how the chariot came in contact with the electric wire.
