E-Paper
Dada Miyan Urs in Bahraich: Gathered to see mermaid moves, 15 hurt as 20K-litre water tank bursts
Four children among injured as water pressure shatters glass wall; seven booked, four detained, says police
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At least 15 people, including four children, were injured after a 20,000-litre water tank burst during a mermaid show at the Dada Miyan Urs, in Bahraich district, on Monday night. The surging water triggered panic among spectators.
The incident took place around 9pm at Khalidpur village under Fakharpur police station limits, about 20 km from the district headquarters. The tank’s glass wall shattered under the pressure of the escaping water, sending shards flying into the audience and injuring several people in the face and head.
Four children aged between seven and nine were among the seriously injured. Two were referred for advanced treatment after glass fragments became embedded in their heads and faces. A performer dressed as a mermaid was also injured.
The four injured children were taken to the Fakharpur Community Health Centre. Two were discharged after receiving primary treatment, while the other two, who sustained serious injuries, were referred to Bahraich Medical College for further treatment, police said. The four seriously injured children were identified as Arsh, 8, Burau, 7, Ahad Khan, 8, and Mohammad Sadiq, 9. All are residents of Khalidpur village.
The tank used for the performance was around 20 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a glass panel on one side. It contained approximately 20,000 litres of water. During the show, a performer dressed as a mermaid was demonstrating underwater stunts when the tank suddenly burst.
According to police, around 40 people were watching the show when the tank burst. The sudden release of water created stampede-like conditions, sweeping children and other spectators several metres by the surge.
“Four people, including the Urs committee president and the mermaid show operator, have been detained. Seven people have been booked. The tank burst due to excessive water pressure,” said Bahraich additional SP city Ayush Vikram Singh.
Fakharpur station house officer Rajkumar Rajbhar said the organisers had not obtained permission for the show. He said an FIR was registered against seven people, including Urs committee president Wajid Khan and show operator Shadab.
The annual three-day Urs of Dada Miyan, held in November, draws an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 visitors to Khalidpur village. The mermaid show was introduced at the fair for the first time this year.
The incident has raised questions about safety arrangements at the fair, particularly the use of large water tanks for public performances without required permissions.
