Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Ulta Rath Yatra accident which resulted in seven people, including two children, losing their lives due to electrocution in the Unakoti district.

While thousands of people were pulling the chariot of sibling deities in Uttar Pabiacherra in Kumarghat when it came in contact with a 133 kv overhead cable. Local police said parts of the Rath immediately caught fire and people fell on the road with their bodies on flame.

Police added Fire Services soon reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The injured persons were initially taken to the Kailashahar and Kumarghat hospitals in the district, and some were later referred to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala for further treatment.

This big mishap happened around 4.30 pm during the 'Ulta Rath Yatra' or return car festival organised by ISKCON, media reports said.

Also Read:Bahuda Yatra 2023: Lord Jagannath's return car festival begins in Puri

Manik Saha went to Kumarghat in the night by train to oversee relief and rescue operations. "I have visited the spot and met the injured persons. The government will bear the expenses of their treatment," he said.

"The mishap during the Ulta Rath Yatra at Kumarghat is saddening. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tweeted.

During the Ulta Rath Yatra festival, the sibling deities — Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhdara and Lord Jagannath return to their abode in a chariot, a week after Rath Yatra.

First Published:Jun 29, 2023 4:17 PM IST