Residents of at least five villages of Sitalkuchi of Cooch Behar district mourned the deaths of 10 boys on Monday who were electrocuted to death on Sunday night.

The deceased, aged between 16 to 18 years, were from Sitalkuchi. On Sunday, they had hired a pick-up van and headed for Jalpesh temple in Jalpaiguri. A short-circuit in the generator set kept in the van reportedly led to the electrocution in which 10 boys died and 14 others were injured.

“He will never return. We had no idea that they were travelling with such a risk,” sobbed Jayanti, the mother of Swapan Barman, a Class XII student of Sitalkuchi High School and a boy of Mirapara village who died of electrocution.

Bapi and Laxman, who are cousins and stay near Sitalkuchi Girls’ High School, had also joined the group. Both have lost their lives.

Their fathers, Dilip and Hiten, were waiting in front of the mortuary at Mathabhanga sub-divisional hospital.

“I am in shock. They were supposed to return home this afternoon but now we are waiting for their bodies,” said an inconsolable Dilip.

Bidhan Baishya and Ravi Baishya, who lost their nephew Bikram, a Class XII student of Gopinath High School, added that they couldn’t believe the boy was no more. “The boys were so enthusiastic when they left Sitalkuchi. In some hours, we came to know that their bodies are lying at the health centre in Changrabandha. We don’t know how to face Bikram’s parents,” said Ravi.

As news spread, a number of Trinamul leaders visited villages Mirapara, Golenahati and Thakurpara to meet the bereaved families.

“It is an unfortunate incident. But the pilgrims visiting Jalpesh temple should also be alert and travel safely,” said senior Trinamul leader Hiten Barman.

Later in the day, bodies of all the 10 boys were handed over to their families at the sub-divisional hospital in Mathabhanga.

The incident prompted the authorities of Jalpesh temple to alert pilgrims on safe travel. Girindra Nath Deb, secretary of the temple’s trustee board, said every year, lakhs of devotees visit the temple, especially during the ongoing month of Shravan. “They come and return safely. We have never heard of such a major incident like this. We hope the injured will recover soon,” he said.

Sources in the Jalpaiguri district administration said that on Monday some 1.5 lakh devotees reached Jalpesh.

“Around 20,000 large vehicles had reached Jalpesh, along with 6,000-odd pick up vans. It was a huge assemblage,” said a police officer.

Debarshi Dutta, the superintendent of police of Jalpaiguri, said they would prohibit sound boxes and loud hailers in vehicles headed for the Jalpesh temple. These had necessitated the generator in the van in which the electrocution took place. “More devotees will turn up at the temple in this fortnight. As a preventive measure, all police stations of the district and the traffic wing have been alerted. No one will be allowed to play loud music and carry sound boxes and generator sets. We will keep watch on vehicles to check those carrying passengers in excess,” Dutta said.

(Additional inputs by our Jalpaiguri correspondent)