Gadag (PTI): Three died and three others were injured after the metal cutout they were holding came in contact with a livewire in the Gadag district on Sunday night. The poster was being put up for the birthday of actor Yash.
The deceased were identified as Hanumant Harijan (21), Murali Naduvinamani (20) and Naveen Gaji (19) from Suranagi village of Lakshmeshwar taluk.
Manjunath Harijan, Prakash Myageri and Deepak Harijan are under treatment at Lakshmeshwar taluk hospital.
10 youths from Suranagi village had planned to celebrate Sandalwood actor Yash’s birthday which falls on January 8 and they planned to make a big metal cutout of nearly 25 feet. While they were installing the metal cutout, it came in contact with the live wire. Three died on the spot and three others injured and the rest of the youths present strived hard to save the other three.
ALSO READ: Kolar: ED raids premises of Congress MLA Nanjegowda in money laundering probe
Villagers rushed to the spot and helped the youths to shift to the taluk hospital of Lakshmeshwar town on Sunday around 11 pm. Suranagi is 13 km from Lakshmeshwar town and the villagers took a vehicle from the village and shifted to Taluk hospital.
The dead bodies were brought to the Suranagi village on Monday morning and they performed funerals at the village around 10.30 am.
Gadag district minister H K Patil spoke in Bengaluru that he would speak with CM Siddaramaiah about giving compensation to deceased family members. Shirahatti MLA Dr Chandru Lamani visited the Suranagi village and promised the family of the deceased to talk about the compensation.
Lakshmeshwar Taluk Hospital medical officers said that all three are responding to treatment two have almost recovered and one is still recovering.
Suresh Shiraasangi, a villager from Suranagi said, “They used to erect cutouts in different areas earlier but some youths planned to change the cutout area and they came to this area and tried to erect the metal cutout and the incident happened. When the live wire came in contact with the metal, two youths died on the spot and one youth suffered for a few seconds and died. The other youths started screaming after watching this incident and villagers came outside to see what happened. When villagers saw three people screaming in pain, they did not wait for the ambulance but took a vehicle which was available at the time and shifted them to Lakshmeshwar town. Some villagers told them to be careful before putting up the banner but the young people were in a festive mood and they were whistling in happiness. Sadly, it lasted for one minute and they were electrocuted".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
