Meerut (UP): Five pilgrims died of electrocution, while an equal number sustained injuries in Western Uttar Pradesh when they were returning with water from the Holy Ganges River in Haridwar, media reports said.

The procession of Kanwariyas—followers of Lord Shiva—met with the accident in Rali Chauhan village, Bhawanpur, located in the Meerut district, NDTV reported.

The vehicle in which the Kanwariyas were travelling came into contact with a low-hanging high-tension line, leading to the electrocution.

The incident occurred when they entered the village. Villagers rushed to call the power station to shut down the electricity supply, but several lives had been already lost.

While one person died on the spot, four others succumbed to their injuries later.

Five people are undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

The villagers have accused the electricity department of negligence and alleged that there no attention was paid in the preparation for the Kanwar Yatra.

The Kanwar Yatra is regarded as the largest religious gathering in India, attracting an estimated 10 to 12 million participants annually.

Pilgrims from various states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand take part in this major event.

These devotees, known as Kanwariyas, typically dress in saffron-colored attire and often choose to walk barefoot along highways, alongside vehicles, carrying water from the holy Ganges typically to offer to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas--the Shiva Temples spread all over India and considered holiest for Shiva devotees.