Toll rises to nine in Tripura Rath Yatra electrocution

Agartala: The toll due to the electrocution during the return Rath Yatra in Tripura’s Unakoti district in June rose to nine as a 32-year-old woman, who was injured in the accident, died, police said on Wednesday.

Droupadi Nama succumbed to her injuries in a hospital in Assam’s Guwahati, where she was undergoing treatment, a senior officer said.

Earlier, eight people, including two children, died of electrocution and 16 others were injured as the chariot of Lord Jagannath came in contact with a high-tension wire during the return Rath Yatra festival on June 28 in Kumarghat area.

“The injured woman, who was in Guwahati for treatment, succumbed to her injuries on July 23. Her body has been brought here yesterday,” Assistant Inspector General, Law and Order, Jyotisman Das Chowdhury told PTI.

Earlier, Nama’s five-and-a-half-year-old son died in the accident.

Chief Minister Manik Saha had visited the accident site and ordered a probe by the district magistrate.

However, the enquiry report has not been made public so far.

The chief minister had also met family members of those who lost their lives in the accident.

The police have registered a suo motu case against the organiser but no arrest has been made thus far.