The deceased was identified as Sanjib Chouhan, son of Shyamlal Chouhan, a resident of the Masterpara neighbourhood in Gouripur municipality. He was a member of the Jhalak Masterpara Puja Committee, which had organised the local Durga Puja celebrations.
According to local residents and members of the organising committee, the accident occurred near the Jhalak Puja Mandap as preparations were under way to transport the idol to a nearby immersion site.
The committee had arranged for the idol to be carried on a truck from the temporary worship pavilion to the Ananta Sagar pond, situated near Rajendra Kishore Government High School.
As the vehicle was leaving the pavilion, an electrical wire was found hanging across the road. Sanjib attempted to move the wire aside with his hand to clear the way for the truck.
He suffered a severe electric shock and collapsed.
People at the scene immediately rescued him and rushed him to Gouripur Upazila Health Complex. However, the attending doctor declared him dead upon arrival.
The incident turned what should have been the concluding moments of a religious celebration into a tragedy for his family and fellow organisers.
Sanjib’s wife, Sheela Chouhan, recalled their final conversation before he left home to take part in the immersion arrangements.
“Before leaving home, my husband asked whether I would go to the idol immersion. I said I would. Those were the last words we exchanged,” she said.
“Later that night, I received news that my husband had been electrocuted. My two children have now lost their father,” she added.
Her account reflected the devastating personal consequences of an accident that occurred during preparations for one of the most significant rituals of the Hindu religious calendar.
Durga Puja is among the most important religious festivals celebrated by the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The festivities traditionally conclude with the immersion of Goddess Durga’s idol in a river, pond or another designated waterbody.
The immersion procession often involves transporting large idols on trucks or other vehicles, making the safety of overhead electrical cables and temporary power connections particularly important.
Ajit Chouhan, president of the Jhalak Masterpara Puja Committee, confirmed that Sanjib was an active member of the organising committee and had been assisting with the arrangements for the immersion ceremony.
“Sanjib was a member of our Jhalak Masterpara Puja Committee. He was electrocuted while trying to move an electrical wire hanging over the road as the idol was being taken from the pavilion to the immersion site,” Ajit said.
He also accused those responsible for the pavilion’s electrical installations and decorative lighting of negligence.
According to Ajit, an electrical leakage in the wiring used at the pavilion caused the fatal accident.
He alleged that the tragedy could have been prevented if those responsible had properly inspected the electrical connections before the immersion preparations began.
“The accident would not have happened if they had checked the electrical wiring for leakage,” he said.
The committee president’s allegations have raised questions about electrical safety arrangements at the venue. However, the precise cause of the electrical fault and whether negligence contributed to the death have not yet been independently established.
Temporary electrical connections are commonly used to power decorative lighting and other installations during religious festivals. Such arrangements require careful inspection, particularly where cables are positioned close to public roads or routes used by large vehicles.
Electrical wires hanging across a road can pose a serious danger when vehicles carrying tall structures, including religious idols, pass underneath them. Direct contact with a live wire can result in fatal injuries, making professional intervention essential when electrical obstructions are identified.
Officer-in-Charge Habibur Rahman of Gouripur Police Station said police had visited the scene after receiving information about the death.
“We received information that a person had died after being electrocuted at a puja pavilion. Police subsequently visited the location,” he said.
The officer added that appropriate legal action would be taken if a formal complaint was lodged.
No further details were provided about whether an investigation into the electrical installations had been initiated.
The death has left Sanjib’s family mourning and brought renewed attention to the importance of electrical safety during large public and religious gatherings.
For his wife and two children, the conclusion of this year’s Durga Puja will remain marked by the loss of a husband and father who had been helping his community complete its religious celebrations.
