Boy, 7, touches e-rickshaw at illegal charging station, killed

The victim was identified by police as Suraj Kumar, a native of Bihar, who was visiting relatives at a slum cluster near Shalimar Bagh.

A seven-year-old boy was electrocuted to death in northwest Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on Tuesday after he came into contact with an electric rickshaw that was being charged at an “unauthorised” charging station in an illegal parking lot, police said on Wednesday.

The victim was identified by police as Suraj Kumar, a native of Bihar, who was visiting relatives at a slum cluster near Shalimar Bagh. (HT Photo)

One person has been arrested in this connection.

The victim was identified by police as Suraj Kumar, a native of Bihar, who was visiting relatives at a nearby slum cluster.

“We have registered a case on charges of causing death by negligence and the man who had installed the unauthorised charging station was arrested,” said deputy commissioner of police (north west) Jitendra Meena said.

Police said they received information at around 12pm on Tuesday about the electrocution of a boy, and they were told that the child had been rushed to a local hospital.

By the time police reached the hospital, the boy had been declared dead.

The boy was visiting a relative in the city along with his family.

During investigation, it was revealed that the incident occurred when he had gone to a public toilet opposite his aunt’s residence in the slum cluster of Shalimar Bagh at around 9.30am.

“An illegal parking lot of e-rickshaws was running near the toilet and an unauthorised charging station was installed in that parking lot. An e-rickshaw was being charge there. The boy was on his way to the toilet and tried to squeeze himself between two e-rickshaws, when he came in contact with one which was on charge and is suspected to have been electrocuted,” the officer said.

Two locals passing by spotted the boy on the street and tried to revive him but to no avail. They raised an alarm after which his family rushed him to the hospital.

Police said that a case was registered against 51-year-old Ram Nath Rai, who had installed the charging station.

He was then arrested. “Further investigation into the case was underway to ascertain any lapses,” DCP Meena said.