Thirteen children who participated in the Ugadi Utsavam celebrations in Chinna Tekur village of Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh sustained burn injuries after getting electrocuted, said police. All the injured have been admitted and are undergoing treatment. A smiliar incident occured last month in Kota where several children who participated in the Shiv Barat procession on the occasion of Mahashivratri sustained burn injuries after getting electrocuted.
Police said the children, aged 7-15 years, were electrocuted from a high-tension power line passing overhead in the Sakatoura area under the Kunhari police station. Two children have sustained 50 and 100% burn injuries, respectively, while the other 12 sustained less than 50% injuries. According to the police, the incident took place between 11.30am-12 noon when a Shiv Barat procession was marching through Kalibasti, where one of the boys, holding a flag atop a 22-feet-high iron rod, touched the high-tension line passing overhead. The boy holding the flag sustained 100% burn injury, said police. Other boys who attempted to rescue him also sustained burn injuries. Expressing grief, chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma directed the district administration to provide immediate assistance and the best treatment to the children.