Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal

Bhopal, Sep 26: Four youths were electrocuted to death and three others injured after an electric current spread through a Ganesh pandal at Hirapur village under Nainpur police station limits in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district on Saturday morning, police said.

One of the injured, identified as Priyanshu, was in critical condition and was referred to the district hospital for further treatment, police said.

The deceased were identified as Jainu Bhanvre, 19, Ravi Jharia, 24, Krishna Kumar Bhanvre, 18, and Virendra Bhanvre, 24.

According to Nainpur Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Manish Raj, members of the Ganesh festival committee returned to the village around 4 am after completing the immersion of the idol.

Eight youths subsequently remained inside the pandal to guard the materials and other items used for the tableau.

"An electric wire came in contact with the pandal, following which the youths sleeping inside received an electric shock. Four of them died, while three others sustained injuries," SDOP Manish Raj told IANS.

Police and district administration officials reached the spot after receiving information about the incident and began an investigation.

Raj said the pandal was a permanent structure and the exact cause of the incident had not yet been established.

A team from the electricity company was examining whether the accident occurred after a power line snapped and fell onto the structure or whether a short circuit caused the electric current to spread through the pandal.

"The electricity department's team is examining the spot to ascertain whether the current spread because of a snapped wire or a short circuit. The exact cause will be clear after the technical inspection," the SDPO said.

The bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examination, while the injured were provided medical treatment.

Police said further investigation into the incident was underway.