Tragedy Strikes Chamoli: 15 Lives Lost to Electric Shock at Namami Gange Site

Chamoli’s Health Minister, Dhan Singh Rawat, mentioned that seven injured individuals from the incident are being taken by air to the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Rishikesh for medical treatment.

Tragic Incident in Uttarakhand: 16 People Killed, Chief Minister Orders Inquiry

In Uttarakhand, a terrible incident occurred where 16 people lost their lives, including a policeman and three Home Guards. The cause of the tragedy was the electrification of a bridge railing near Pipalkoti village in Chamoli district. The bridge was a part of the Namami Gange project’s sewage treatment plant, located over the Alaknanda river.

Last night, the unfortunate incident took place, initially reported as the death of a security guard due to electrocution. However, when the police and villagers conducted a spot inspection, they found that 22 people were electrocuted and severely injured. Sadly, 15 of them succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, while seven others are in critical condition.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the site and ordered a magisterial inquiry to determine the cause of the incident. He announced compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for the injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke with Mr. Dhami to assess the situation.

Rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force, were at the scene, and helicopters were used to transfer the injured to larger hospitals like AIIMS in Rishikesh.

The Assistant Director General of Police (law and order) V Murugesan confirmed that an investigation is underway to uncover the cause of the tragic event.