At least four people were electrocuted Saturday and seven others injured after an Ashura (Muharram 10) procession came into contact with a high-voltage wire in India, police told AFP.
Every year on Muharram 10, Yaum-i-Ashura is observed with solemnity to pay homage to Imam Husain, the grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the other martyrs of Karbala.
Members of a procession in the eastern state of Jharkhand were killed when a metal pole carried by some devotees hit an overhead cable, Bokaro district police superintendent Priyadarshi Alok told AFP.
“Four people have died and seven others are injured,” he said.
Deaths by electrocution are common in India as a result of waterlogging during the summer monsoon season.
Nearly 11,000 people on average die by electrocution in India every year, according to official data.