Agra Shocker: Woman Rings Temple Bell While Offering Prayers, Dies Of Electrocution

A 49-year-old woman allegedly lost her life to electrocution while offering prayers at a Shiva temple in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. The incident occurred on Monday amid heavy rain and gusty winds. The victim, identified as Pushpa Devi, had reportedly visited the temple alone when she came into contact with a metal bell, triggering the fatal shock.

The incident has sparked outrage among locals, who suspect a dangerous lapse in safety infrastructure. Villagers claimed that a high-tension overhead wire running close to the temple may have brushed against the metal trident (trishul) mounted atop the dome. According to them, the electric current travelled through a chain attached to the bell and spread across other metallic structures within the premises.

Residents have blamed the electricity department, alleging “negligence” and claiming that the hazardous proximity of the power line had been flagged earlier but went unaddressed. They insist that repeated warnings about the risk were ignored, ultimately leading to the fatal accident.

Responding to the incident, Iradatnagar SHO inspector Ramkumar Tomar said, "Probe is on and appropriate action will be taken accordingly."

However, officials from Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd have rejected the allegations. Chief engineer Kapil Sindhwani told TOI, "This is not the fault of the HT line, but the temple's wiring. If the current had come from the HT line, supply at the local power house would've automatically tripped; that did not happen. And there would have been loud explosions in the temple, which also did not occur. So, it could've happened only due to some leakage in the temple's wiring."