Specially-abled man electrocuted by live wire protruding from open electricity box

The incident took place at around 8:30am, when the deceased Vijay Bodade, a specially-abled man, who was sleeping outside the house, woke up and went for a walk on the road towards the NCT school

Thane A 29-year-old man died on Monday morning after getting electrocuted by a live wire protruding from an open electricity Distribution Point (DP) near Ulhasnagar school no 4. This is the second such incident at the same area as a month ago, a nine-year-old boy died in a similar manner. The Vithalwadi police are investigating the matter.

The specially-abled man lived in a nearby slum with his elder sister and younger brother (Pramod Tambe)

The incident took place at around 8:30am, when the deceased Vijay Bodade, a specially-abled man, who was sleeping outside the house, woke up and went for a walk on the road towards the NCT school. The DP unit was open, with wires protruding from it. Vijay, who was half asleep, came in contact with the wires and was electrocuted.

The specially-abled man lived in a nearby slum with his elder sister and younger brother. Both the siblings worked as daily wage workers and took care of their brother.

Deepak Nandu Shirsat, 40, a rickshaw driver by profession, had just dropped off children at the school. As he was coming out, he saw Vijay and immediately called Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials. A few people with wooden sticks removed the man from the live wire.

“This is our regular road and this DP is always open with the wires lying on the floor. I always tell my children not to come out. The DP system is so close to the road that even if some biker falls, he will automatically touch the live wire. Vijay was the specially-abled man, how will he realise the danger,” said Shirsat.

Navnath Londhe, a social worker from the area, helped the family take the man to the hospital. Londhe said, “There should be strict action against the responsible authority for this negligence. The door of the DP was later tied up with the silver wire. It didn’t have a lock and it’s attached to the main road from where school children travel every day. It is even riskier during the monsoon.”

An MSEDCL officer with the Kalyan division said, “Our investigation has started. An electric inspector will conduct an inquiry in the matter and further the procedure of actions will be followed.”

Vithalwadi police station senior police, G Gaikwad, said, “We came to know about the incident in the morning. With an MSEDCL officer, we visited the spot and shut the doors of the DP. An accidental death report has been registered in the matter. After a technical investigation report, we can take action against the responsible person.”

This is not the first case of electrocution in the Ulhasnagar area. On July 23, a nine-year-old boy, who went to swim in a fountain in Ulhasnagar with his friends, died due to electrocution after his hand touched an electric pole, in the same area. Vithalwadi police, who are investigating the matter, are yet to receive any report from any authority.