Six children electrocuted in Bihar

Six children, including three of a family, lost their lives to electrocution on Thursday noon when a high tension wire fell on them in Jamui district.

Six children, including three of a family, lost their lives to electrocution on Thursday noon when a high tension wire fell on them in Jamui district.

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The accidents took place in Naxalite affected Chandra village under Charka Patthar police station, 70km south of the district headquarters.

Police said, the high tension 11,000 volt wire snapped suddenly and fell on the six children, aged between eight to ten years.

The victims were identified as Aslam Ansari (8), Asmat Ansari (9), Sanjana (9), Ruksana (10), Tarannum (9) and Murtaza (10).

The incident whipped up tension and panic even as the administration pressed officials to calm the people.

District magistrate (DM), Shashi Kant Tiwari has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased family. An investigation into the incident has also been ordered.

Jamui SP Jitendra Rana said the high tension wire fell on them when they were returning from a field after play. The six, including four girls, came in contact with the falling live electric wire that had snapped. They were electrocuted and died on the spot," he said. A few passers-by informed the families of the children. Officials said, it was not known how the wire had snapped.

Later, the police lifted the bodies from the spot and sent them for autopsy at the local sadar hospital.

The police have registered a case of causing death by negligence and initiated investigations to fix responsibility for the tragic deaths. The role of electric officials concerned is being probed, said a police officer.