Eleven devotees lost their lives in separate incidents involving road accidents, electrocution and other mishaps across several districts of Uttar Pradesh on the first Monday of the holy month of Sawan, while several others were injured. Two devotees remain missing in Hardoi after being swept away during a Ganga bath.
Large numbers of devotees travelled to temples and pilgrimage sites across the state to perform Jalabhishek of Lord Shiva on the first Monday of Sawan. However, accidents were reported from Sitapur, Sultanpur, Bahraich, Raebareli, Jaunpur and Amroha, resulting in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries. Search operations continued in Hardoi for two missing devotees.
In Jaunpur, a car carrying devotees returning after offering prayers collided with a stationary truck on the Varanasi-Lucknow National Highway, killing two people. In Amroha, a motorcycle carrying Kanwar pilgrims crashed into a vehicle ahead, leaving one devotee dead and another injured.
In Sitapur, a tall DJ system mounted on a pickup vehicle came into contact with a high-tension power line, causing electric current to spread through the vehicle. Two Kanwar pilgrims died at the scene, while three others sustained burn injuries. According to preliminary information, the power line was hanging low, leading to the incident.
In Bahraich, two devotees travelling on a motorcycle after performing Jalabhishek were killed after being hit by a speeding truck. In Sultanpur, two young women returning home after Jalabhishek died after being struck by a car.
In Raebareli's Shivgarh area, an e-rickshaw overturned after being hit by a vehicle, injuring seven devotees. One of the injured later died during treatment. In the Lalganj area, an elderly devotee was killed and other passengers were injured after an e-rickshaw overturned during an overtaking manoeuvre.
In Hardoi's Arwal area, three youths returning from Kannauj after performing Jalabhishek were swept away by the b current while bathing in the Ganga. Police and divers rescued one youth, while the search for the remaining two continued until late evening. Teams from the Fire Department and the Provincial Armed Constabulary also conducted search operations, but the two devotees remained untraced.
The administration appealed to devotees to exercise additional caution during Sawan and the Kanwar Yatra due to the large movement of pilgrims. Officials urged people to follow traffic rules, avoid overloaded vehicles and tall DJ systems, and bathe only at designated locations along rivers and ghats. According to the administration, adherence to safety standards can help prevent such accidents.
