Man `unofficially' repairing electricity line dies due to shock; lineman suspended

Tikamgarh (MP), Dec 4 (PTI) A 30-year-old man, not officially employed by the Madhya Pradesh East Power Distribution Company, died of electrocution on Thursday while repairing an electricity line at Dudiyan Kheda village in the district.

The lineman of the power company posted in the area, at whose instance deceased Mohan Ahirwar was allegedly working on the electric pole, was suspended after the incident led to a road blockade by angry local residents.

Tikamgarh Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Rahul Katre said lineman Haridas Ahirwar and his son picked up Mohan from his home and allegedly took him to the site for repair work without permission from any competent authority. Someone switched on the power supply during the work, causing the fatal incident, he added.

Mohan was not an employee of power discom but Haridas allegedly got work done by him, said the company's executive engineer Sudhir Soni.

The company suspended Haridas and terminated the services of an outsourced operator who was assisting him, Soni said, adding that an inquiry is underway.

Following the incident, hundreds of villagers blocked the Baldeogarh-Chhatarpur road demanding action against the power company and the lineman, disrupting traffic for more than three hours.

The villagers also held Haridas, his wife and son hostage. After learning of the situation, Collector Vivek Shrotriya and Superintendent of Police Alok Kumar reached the spot.

The villagers agreed to take down Mohan's body from the pole and release the lineman and his family after officials assured that their demands would be addressed.

A case was also registered against Haridas and his son under section 105 of BNS (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) at the Baldeogarh police station, the SDOP said. PTI COR LAL KRK