Bihar CM condoles demise of 9 Kanwariyas in Hajipur; announces Rs 4 lakh ex gratia

Patna (Bihar) [India], August 5 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday expressed grief over the death of nine Kanwariyas in Hajipur and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the family of each victim.

On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, nine Kanwariyas died and several others were injured when their vehicle came in contact with a high-voltage overhead wire in Bihar’s Hajipur.

“It is sad that 9 devotees travelling on a DJ trolley died due to electric shock near Sultanpur village of Industrial Police Station area of Vaishali district. I pray to God to give strength to the family members of the deceased to bear the pain in this hour of grief. North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited will give an ex-gratia grant of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased,” Nitish Kumar posted on X.

According to the police, eight devotees died on the spot and one Kanwariya died during treatment in the hospital.

Om Prakash, Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Hajipur said that the height of their vehicle was very high and it touched a high-tension wire.

“The Kanwariyas were going on a DJ-mounted trolley. The DJ-mounted trolley was very high and there was a wire in which it got entangled and came in contact with 11000 high tension wire due to which some devotees died, while some others were injured and are undergoing treatment,” Sadar SDPO Hajipur Omprakash told reporters.

The victims, from Sultanpur village, were en route to Pahelaja Ghat in Saran to perform a ritual at Sonpur Baba Haiharnath.

Kanwariyas are Shiva devotees who visit places like Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of River Ganga and then worship God with that water.