Patna, May 12 A tragic incident occurred in Bihar's Banka district on Monday when a wedding party bus came in contact with a high-tension electric wire, leaving two persons dead and more than a dozen others with burn injuries, police said.
Local villagers and police quickly launched a relief and rescue operation, helping transport the injured to hospitals.
The incident took place near Barekol village, under the Jaipur police station area, when a bus carrying 'baraatis' (wedding guests) was returning from the Kaladinga to Sanga village in Bausi block after a marriage ceremony.
According to the eyewitnesses, several guests were sitting on the roof of the bus, and to escape the intense heat, they had placed branches of Palaash flowers on their heads for shade.
These branches accidentally came into contact with an overhead high-voltage power line, causing a powerful electric current to surge across the roof of the bus.
"We were returning after the wedding. Some people were sitting on the roof. They had placed branches and leaves to protect themselves from the sun when the incident happened," said Bhairo Singh, father of the groom.
The deceased have been identified as Vijay Pahariya (35) and Santosh Singh.
The police have sent their bodies for the post-mortem.
Other injured individuals were taken to Katoria Referral Hospital and Jaipur Hospital.
The injured persons admitted at the Katoria Referral Hospital are identified as Mukesh Marandi (25), Shivam Kumar (10), Lakshmi Kumari (8), Raja Kumar (10) and Dilip Kumar (30).
At Jaipur Hospital, Rajendra Singh (40), Kshama Kumari (19), Nandkishore Singh (28), Mukesh Kumar (17), Pooja Kumari (7), Govardhan Singh (30) and Mahendra Singh (60) have been admitted.
Alok Kumar, the Jaipur Police Station In-charge, confirmed that two persons lost their lives in the tragic mishap, and a full investigation is underway.
"These people were returning home after a wedding when the accident occurred. Two people lost their lives due to electric shock, and others are being treated in local hospitals," said Station House Officer Alok Kumar.
The district administration has assured full support to the affected families and has begun an investigation into the circumstances that led to the contact with the overhead power line.
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