A tragic incident occurred in Delhi when a 13-year-old boy was electrocuted after touching an iron pole while playing cricket. The pole, which carried electric wires leading to a cow shed on the edge of the cricket ground, resulted in the fatal shock. The boy was rushed to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
The police have registered a case under section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, addressing death caused by rash or negligent acts that do not amount to culpable homicide. This incident is part of a concerning pattern of electrocution and related accidents in the city.
Last month, a 12-year-old boy in southwest Delhi’s Bindapur area also lost his life after coming into contact with a live wire. In a separate incident, a 28-year-old man was electrocuted at his home in southeast Delhi’s Mithapur area.
The frequency of such incidents has prompted the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) to take action. On August 3, the NHRC issued notices to the Delhi government, Delhi police commissioner, the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and other senior officials. The Commission’s statement highlighted the “negligence by the civic authorities,” noting that at least 13 lives were lost in the Delhi-NCR region recently, including six due to electrocution and four due to drowning in overflowing drains.
The NHRC has expressed concern over the “creaky infrastructure and civic negligence” that exacerbates such incidents. It has requested information on measures taken or proposed by authorities to prevent future tragedies.
In response to the rising number of electrocution cases, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has announced a compensation scheme. The financial assistance includes ₹7.5 lakh for loss of life and ₹5 lakh for disabilities exceeding 60% due to electricity-related accidents. Compensation is also available for injuries, with ₹1 lakh for 40-60% injury, ₹25,000 for hospitalisation exceeding a week, and ₹10,000 for less than a week of hospitalisation.
The tragic death of the teenager and the ongoing issues with infrastructure and safety underscore the urgent need for improved measures to prevent such incidents and protect residents from similar dangers in the future.
Sources By Agencies
