Fifteen people were electrocuted and seven injured on Wednesday at a sewage treatment plant of the Namami Gange project on the banks of the Alaknanda river in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, police said.
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Superintendent of Police (Chamoli) Pramendra Dobhal said the police went to the spot to prepare a report on the electrocution late on Tuesday of a person working on the project site.?
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Around 11.30 am, a surge of electricity passed through a metal railing installed on the plant premises, killing 15 and injuring seven. It is still being ascertained how it happened, he added.
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Dobhal said police sub-inspector Pradeep Rawat and three home guard personnel were among the 15 people killed. Several of the victims died on the spot.
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Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has left for the site to take stock of the situation and meet the victims' families, expressed grief. He has announced a magisterial inquiry and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each victim and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured.
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Ordering the inquiry, Dhami said strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
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Following the chief minister's instructions, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana nominated Additional District Magistrate Dr. Abhishek Tripathi as the inquiry officer and directed him to file a detailed investigation report within a week.?
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Khurana has also asked Tripathi to include in his investigation the causes and the measures that can be taken to prevent such accidents in the future.
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Chamoli's Chief Development Officer Dr Lalit Narayan Mishra said the injured were sent to AIIMS-Rishikesh by helicopter.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah also enquired about the incident from Dhami over the phone.
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Director-General of Police Ashok Kumar prayed for peace for the dead and strength for the bereaved families.