Kin shut down sub-station to protest trader’s electrocution

GHAZIABAD: Residents of DLF Ankur Vihar shut down a power

sub-station

on Sunday in protest against the death of a 50-year-old

trader

who was electrocuted after coming in contact with a snapped overhead electricity cable. Operations resumed after discom Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited agreed to provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim.

The trader, Mohan Lal, was electrocuted on December 29 after an 11kV overhead cable allegedly snapped and fell on him. Lal was rushed to the GTB Hospital in Delhi, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. A post-mortem was conducted after his family registered a police complaint.

The protest on Sunday was called off after intervention by local police and officials of the discom and district administration. The

kin

of the trader had demanded financial compensation from the administration. The protesters also sought that the cables of the new sub-station being constructed in Chaman Vihar be laid underground to avoid similar mishaps.

“We have agreed to pay a sum of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim. This is the maximum amount we are empowered to grant as compensation. Locals have also demanded strengthening and insulation of certain power lines in the area, which will be undertaken very soon to ensure that accidents of this nature are not repeated in the future,” discom executive engineer PK Goyal told TOI.

District administration officials said there is no provision in law for compensation in a death of this nature.

“The autopsy report has revealed

electrocution

as the cause of death. Prima facie, it seems that the wire snapped accidentally. However, a case for causing death due to negligence will be registered against the discom in accordance with the complaint lodged by the trader’s family,” said Loni police station SHO Sanjay Verma.