At least five devotees lost their lives, and multiple others sustained burn injuries after a Krishna Janmashtami procession chariot came in contact with live electric wires in Gokulnagar, Ramanthapur, Hyderabad. The tragic incident occurred close to midnight on Sunday, August 18, as hundreds of devotees gathered to mark the birth anniversary of Shri Krishna.
Police confirmed the identity of the deceased as:
Krishnayadav (21)
Suresh Yadav (34)
Srikanth Reddy (35)
Rudra Vikas (39)
Rajendra Reddy (45)
All five died instantly due to electrocution. Their bodies were shifted to Gandhi Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Four others, including Srinivas, a gunman attached to Union Minister Kishan Reddy, suffered severe injuries. They were immediately taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment. Visuals from the site showed ambulances lined up in the rain as emergency services battled to rescue the injured amid chaos and panic.
Hyderabad witnessed spells of rain throughout Sunday, making rescue operations difficult. By nightfall, several areas of the city reported light to moderate showers, while the downpour complicated the already tense situation in Ramanthapur.
In a separate Janmashtami accident in Gujarat’s Kutch district, a 15-year-old boy, Ishwar Varchand, lost his life when an electric pole collapsed during a Dahi Handi celebration. Another person sustained injuries in the mishap.
Eyewitness videos captured the shocking moment when an electric pole tied to a rope collapsed under pressure, striking the crowd gathered to witness the “Matki Fod” ritual. Both victims were rushed to a local community health centre, but the teenager succumbed during treatment.
While Janmashtami celebrations across India witnessed joyous “Matki Fod” events and devotional processions, the twin tragedies in Hyderabad and Kutch have raised concerns about public safety, unregulated electric connections, and the absence of precautionary measures during mass religious gatherings.
Local authorities in Hyderabad have assured that a detailed probe will be carried out to ascertain responsibility and prevent such mishaps in the future.
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