70-year-old retired teacher dies as ISKCON Rath Yatra flag pole falls on her in Durgapur

The Rath Yatra organised by the Durgapur’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) turned tragic on Thursday, as a 70-year-old retired teacher died as a tall flag poll of the decorated chariot fell on her while she was returning home after buying groceries.

The incident took place near Ashish Market area of Steel Township in Durgapur. The deceased has been identified as Alokalata Chowdhury, a resident of Rana Pratap Road, police said. She had served as a teacher at the steel plant school.

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Locals claimed that the tall flag of the decorated chariot got entangled in an power supply line, leading it to collapse and fall on Chowdhury.

Chowdhury was initially rushed to the Durgapur Steel Hospital and then referred elsewhere for treatment. Rabi Narayan Chowdhury, the deceased’s husband said, “My wife died while being taken to a private super specialty hospital in Bidhannagar. I am yet to process the traumatic incident.”

The Ratha Yatra committee is yet to examine how the incident took place. Police have started an investigation into the case.

The ISKCON Rath Yatra, which started off on Thursday this year, with three chariots modelled on the Puri Jagannath Temple, drew large crowds from Durgapur and nearby areas.