TimesView This is a very serious lapse. Both Puja organizers and the authorities must ensure that illegal rides are not allowed to endanger the lives of revellers. KOLKATA: A ride operator at a Puja carnival in Burrabazar was electrocuted to death on Sunday evening, highlighting how unsupervised and illmaintained rides can easily turn into death traps, right under the authorities’ noses.Around 7pm, Taj Khan of Belgachhia was fiddling with the wiring of his carnival ride — at Tara Sundari Park near Ganesh Talkies — which stopped working after developing a snag, when he was electrocuted. He was rushed to a hospital nearby, where he was declared brought dead.Jolted by the incident, several police teams fanned out to different Pujas that have rides to conduct inspections. At places like Mohammad Ali Park, Raja Subodh Mullick Square and Kumartuli Park, the rides were suspended for over an hour as cops checked safety features.A KMC official said that no ride was legal this year.“Taj was fiddling with the wires while talking over the phone. Suddenly, there was a loud sound and we found him on the ground,” said Kiranmoy Hazra, working president, Burrabazar Sarbojanin Durgotsab. The ride was a part of the carnival beside the pandal.At Mohammad Ali Park, there are two giant wheels which run on electricity. Joint secretary Sachin Verma said both rides were stopped on Sunday evening for checks.At Raja Subodh Mullick Square Sarbojanin Durgotsab Committee, the organizers have decided to shut the joyrides, said organizing secretary Souvick Pandit.A senior member of KMC’s parks and squares department said no ride operating this year was legal. “We did not issue permission to any organiser for joyrides this year,” he said.

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