DHBVN officials booked after farmer’s electrocution in Gurugram

The incident took place in Tirpadi village between 2pm and 2.15pm while the farmer was carrying out irrigation work in his field.

Unidentified officials of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) were booked after a 53-year-old farmer died of electrocution after coming in contact with a low-hanging 11kV high-tension transmission line in Farrukhnagar on Friday, police said on Saturday.

Surender Singh, 53, was replacing an aluminium irrigation pipe when it touched the live wire; he was rushed to SGT Hospital but declared dead on arrival. (File photo)

The deceased was identified as Surender Singh, a farmer who lived in Tirpadi village in Farrukhnagar, police said.

Police officials said the incident took place between 2pm and 2.15pm when Singh was in his field with his nephew Rahul Singh, 24, carrying out irrigation work. Investigators said Singh was replacing an aluminium pipe of his automated irrigation system when it came in contact with the live high-tension wire, leaving him with severe burn injuries.

A senior police officer said a commuter, Keshav Kumar, who was passing through the area in his car, helped Rahul load Singh into the vehicle and rushed him to SGT Hospital in Chandu Budhera. “However, doctors declared him dead on arrival, following which Rahul got an FIR registered against discom officials under section 106 (causing death by negligence) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Farrukhnagar police station on Friday,” he said.

In the FIR, Rahul alleged that the high-tension wire was hanging extremely low above the field. “We had complained to the DHBVN officials multiple times to fix the wires, but they didn’t take any action, which ultimately resulted in my uncle’s death,” he alleged.

A DHBVN official, requesting anonymity, said an internal inquiry will be conducted. “If anyone is found guilty, necessary departmental action will be taken against him for the negligence resulting in the death,” he said.

Sandeep Turan, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said further legal action will depend on the inquiry report. “Once the internal inquiry report is shared with us by the DHBVN, it will become clear whose negligence resulted in the electrocution,” he said, adding the body was handed over to the family after an autopsy on Saturday.