Five kanwariyas were electrocuted and several were injured when their vehicle came in contact with a high-tension overhead wire in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, reported PTI.

The incident took place in the Bhawanpur area at around 8 PM.

District Magistrate Deepak Meena said that five injured are undergoing treatment, and five died during treatment.

“The accident occurred when a group of kanwariyas were returning to their village on a vehicle around 8 pm. Some part of the vehicle touched the high-tension wire overhead,” Meena said.

Enraged villagers staged a protest over the incident.

Additional force has been deployed to avoid any untoward incident, the police said.