Did power dept negligence kill him?

He was a foodie, was particular about his dressing sense and liked playing cricket and badminton with children from his colony.

He was a foodie, was particular about his dressing sense and liked playing cricket and badminton with children from his colony.

HT Image

On Wednesday, his father lost 31-year-old Gagan Malhotra, diagnosed with autism, to an unprotected electric transformer outside his Shalimar Bagh home in northwest Delhi.

Gagan had gone to the unit to fetch a tennis ball that got stuck there. He was electrocuted to death. His body, which had turned blue, was discovered half an hour later by his school-going friends.

“The watchman and I had to use two wooden sticks to pull his body away from the transformer. But by then, it was too late,” said S.K. Malhotra who retired as an executive from Bata footwear three years ago.

The 63-year-old rushed to the spot when some women informed him and wife Vimla Malhotra (59) of the incident.

Gagan Malhotra used to stay at home, and has an elder sister, Charu Dutt, who got married two years ago.

Malhotra’s parents alleged that New Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) was to blame, “There are around 14 such transformers throughout our colony which are usually left open,” said the father.

“We are not yet aware about why he was near the box. We have been informed that the man was suffering from some mental disorder. However we are looking into the matter and investigating it,” said Ajea Maharaj, spokesperson, NDPL.

By Thursday afternoon however, all the transformers in the colony including the one that had killed S.K Malhotra’s only son - had been locked by NDPL.