14 kids suffer electric shock during Mahashivratri procession in Rajasthan; one critical

Fourteen children participating in 'Shiv Barat' on the occasion of Mahashivratri here sustained burn injuries on Friday late morning after getting electrocuted.

The children, aged 10-16 years, were electrocuted from a high-tension power line passing overhead in the Sakatoura area under the Kunhari police station. 

Two of the children sustained 100 and 50 per cent burn injuries, respectively, while the rest 12 sustained less than 50 per cent injuries, a senior police official said.

All the injured were rushed to the MBS hospital in Kota.

The mishap occurred around 11.30 am-12 pm on Friday when a procession of 'Shiv Barat' was marching through Kalibasti, where one of the boys in the procession, holding a flag atop a 22-foot-high iron rod touched the high-tension line passing overhead, Kota city SP Amrita Duhan told sources.

The boy holding the flag sustained 100 per cent burn injury.

The other boys who attempted to rescue him also sustained burn injuries, she said adding that one of the boys sustained 50 per cent burn injury while the rest 12 boys sustained less than 50 per cent injuries, she added. 

Rajasthan Minister Heeralal Nagar said an investigation has been ordered into the incident.