Two people, including an eight-year-old girl, died and four others were injured after an apparent electrical short circuit near a temporary drinking water and cold drink stall at a Ganesh pandal in Mumbai’s Lalbaug area early on Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred at around 2.20 a.m. near the entrance gate of the Mahaganpati Utsav Mandal in Digvijay Mill Chawl on Dattaram Lad Marg in Kalachowki, when large crowds had gathered for the ongoing Ganesh festival. Officials said electric current was detected at the temporary stall near the pandal entrance.
Firefighters switched off the power supply at the site after the incident and cordoned off the area as a precaution. Six people who suffered electric shocks were taken to nearby hospitals, where two were declared dead, according to civic officials.
Raghini Ghanshyam Yadav, eight, was declared dead on arrival at Masina Hospital in Byculla. At the same hospital, Kiran Akbar Naik, Tanvi Naresh Hande and Sahil Sandip Tare, all 19, were undergoing treatment and were in stable condition, a civic official said.
Two other victims were taken to Global Hospital in Parel. A woman identified as Sujata, 33, was declared dead on arrival, while Ruhi Singh, 12, was critically injured and admitted to the intensive care unit, the official said.
A site inspection by officials of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking indicated that a temporary electric meter had been installed at the chawl to provide lighting for the Ganesh festival celebrations and power the cold drink stall. Officials said the wiring and miniature circuit breaker connected to the setup were disconnected by a local electrician after the incident.
Power supply at the site remained partially cut off. A BEST Fuseman and a Meter Inspector assisted with the inspection, while the Kalachowki police began a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the short circuit, officials said.
