Kota electrocution: Another child succumbs, accused grandfather granted bail for last rites

The boy, Saman, breathed his last on Tuesday night at MBS hospital here, taking the toll in the incident to two, police said.

Kota (Rajasthan): A seven-year-old boy who was among the 20 persons who got electrocuted during a 'Shiv Barat' procession here last week has succumbed to burn injuries, police said on Wednesday.

The boy, Saman, breathed his last on Tuesday night at MBS hospital here, taking the toll in the incident to two, they said.

Saman's grandfather who is lodged in jail in connection with the incident was brought out for a few hours on bail for the last rites on Wednesday, they added.

Eighteen children and two other participants of the 'Shiv Barat' procession on the occasion of Mahashivratri on March 8 suffered burn injuries after electrocution from a high-tension power line passing overhead in the Sakatpura area under the Kunhari Police Station limits here, they said.

Superintendent of MBS hospital Dr Dharmraj Meena said Saman had sustained around 50 per cent burn injuries in the electrocution incident.

Around 10.30 pm on Tuesday, the boy suffered complications in breathing and was administered CPR but he could not be saved, Meena said.

The body was handed over to family members after postmortem on Wednesday morning, SHO at Kunhari Police Station Arvind Bhardwaj said.

Badrilal, who is one of the three organisers booked in connection with the incident and lodged in jail, is the grandfather of Saman. He was brought out from prison for the boys' last rites, Bhardwaj said.

The first death in the incident was reported on Sunday when 13-year-old Shugan died at Jaipur's SMS Hospital around 1 am.

Two children who are still in critical condition were referred to SMS hospital in Jaipur late Tuesday night while four patients are being treated at the MBS hospital here, said Dr Rajesh Vaswani, head of department, general surgery at MBS Hospital.

Initially eighteen were said to be injured in the incident but two children with minor burn injuries turned up at the MBS Hospital later, taking the toll of injured to 20, according to police officials and doctors at MBS Hospital.

The 20 persons were electrocuted after a boy holding a 22-feet iron flagpole came in contact with a high-tension power line passing overhead in the Sakatpura area.