Man killed, six injured while installing streetlight poles in Noida

The deceased man was identified as Dilkash Raja, 24, a resident of Bihar who worked as a contractual worker. He is survived by his wife and three children

Noida authority chief executive officer Lokesh M suspended assistant engineer Vipin Kumar Singh and issued summons to two other officials on Monday, after a 24-year-old man was killed while six others were severely injured while installing streetlights in Noida on Sunday.

The incident occurred when the 20-foot-tall streetlight pole they were installing on the road opposite ESIC hospital in Sector 12/22 at 7pm came in contact with an overhead high-tension 11,000-volt cable. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

“At first glance, it appears that the incident occurred due to negligence. During the investigation, an official was found guilty and has been suspended with immediate effect,” said CEO Lokesh M, adding, “Senior manager (circle 2) Ajay Kumar and DGM Rajesh Kumar have been issued a show cause notice, failing which further legal action will be initiated.”

The deceased man was identified as Dilkash Raja, 24, a resident of Bihar who worked as a contractual worker in Noida. He is survived by his wife and three children. The private company for Raja worked has given a compensation of ₹9 lakh to his family.

According to police officers associated with the case, Raja and six other employees of the power department were installing streetlights on the road opposite ESIC hospital in Sector 24 at 7pm. The incident occurred when the 20-foot-tall streetlight pole they were installing came in contact with an overhead high-tension 11,000-volt cable. While Raja died on the spot, six other workers sustained burn injuries and are undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital, police officers said.

Amit Kumar, station house officer of the Sector 24 police station, said, “The tragic incident occurred because the work was being done without shutting down the main line.”

Vikrant Kumar, sub-divisional officer (SDO 2), Noida, said, “Permission of shutdown was not sought from the power department. An inquiry in the case has begun.”

According to the police, a case has been registered against the contractors. “Based on the complaint submitted by the deceased man’s brother, a first information report has been registered against the concerned contractors under various Indian Penal Code sections, including 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 338 (causing grievous by act endangering life or personal safety of others),” added the SHO.

The incident also resulted in a power outage in the area, which was restored sometime later.