A major accident took place during Vijayadashami idol immersion in Lotan police station area of Siddharthnagar district on Thursday. A pickup vehicle carrying idols came in contact with an 11,000-volt high-tension power line, causing the vehicle to become live. As a result, nine children travelling in the truck suffered electric burns.
The injured were rushed to the Lotan Primary Health Centre for first aid. Given their critical condition, doctors referred all of them to Siddharthnagar Medical College. The hospital’s Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) confirmed that nine children had been admitted and were undergoing treatment. All of them are said to be out of danger, according to local media reports.
Officials Rush to Hospital
District Magistrate Dr Raja Ganpati R, Kapilvastu MLA Shyam Dhani Rahi, and Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajat Kumar Chaurasia visited the emergency ward of the medical college to meet the injured and assured families of all possible assistance.
Villagers Blame Power Department
The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, who alleged negligence by the electricity department. Villagers claimed the power line was dangerously low and that repeated complaints to raise its height were ignored. Police and district administration have launched an investigation. The tragic mishap has cast a shadow of grief over Dussehra celebrations in the region, with villagers demanding strict action against those responsible.
Injured Children Identified
The injured have been identified as Magan (8), Sachin (12), Pankaj (6), Pawan (13), Sudhir (10), Angad (7), Ankush (6), Aditya (18) and Ankush Pandey (18). Among them, Pawan and Aditya are in serious condition and under close medical supervision, while the remaining seven are being treated in the general ward.
Doctors’ Update
CMS Dr Arvind Jha said most of the children are stable and under treatment, though some are experiencing rapid heartbeats. CMO Dr Rajat Kumar Chaurasia confirmed that Pawan and Aditya remain in critical condition, while the others are out of danger.
