Tractor carrying Durga idols for immersion plunges into lake in Khandwa; 10 devotees dead
Indore (PTI): At least 10 devotees, three of them minors, died after a tractor-trolley carrying idols of Goddess Durga for immersion on Vijayadashmi plunged into a lake in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, police said.
Three injured persons were rescued and admitted to hospital, a district health official said, adding nearly 30 devotees were on board the ill-fated tractor-trolley.
The tragedy took place in the Pandhana area when devotees were riding on the tractor which was carrying Goddess Durga idols from various villages for immersion, Inspector General of Police (Indore rural range) Anurag told PTI.
So far, 10 bodies, three of them of minors, have retrieved with the help of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and local divers, he said, adding a search and rescue operation was going on at the site.
An additional SDRF team has been sent to the spot, the IPS officer informed.
"We have learnt that five to six devotees have survived," the IG said, adding a probe was launched into the accident.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the tragedy and announced on social media platform 'X' that the state government will pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr OP Jugtawat said three injured persons were rescued and admitted to the Khanda district hospital.
He said about 30 devotees of varying ages were on board the tractor-trolley at the time of the accident.
Eyewitnesses said panic ensued immediately after the vehicle fell into the lake with people frantically searching for their relatives. A large crowd of villagers gathered at the site and assisted in the rescue operation.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
