Ghaziabad locals block highway seeking compensation for electrocuted worker

Neeraj and Rampal were trying to remove iron bars and scrap from the building when both of them got electrocuted on Wednesday evening. While Neeraj succumbed to his injuries, Rampal is being treated at a private hospital.

Hundreds of locals blocked traffic on the NH-58 on Thursday morning demanding compensation to the family of a worker who was electrocuted to death at an under-construction highrise in neighbouring Raj Nagar Extension. The locals had placed the body on the road.

The protesters said they wanted compensation for the victim’s family. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

According to the police, daily wagers Neeraj and Rampal were trying to remove iron bars and scrap from the building when both of them got electrocuted on Wednesday evening. While Neeraj succumbed to his injuries, Rampal is being treated at a private hospital.

“They were removing large iron pipes from the building when one of them touched the electricity wires and both got injured. We arrived (on the highway) with Neeraj’s body, demanding the arrest of the two contractors and also for compensation to the victim families. However, the police used force to remove us from the highway,” Deepak, Neeraj’s brother, said.

Locals said that the workers were hired by scrap contractors, Abid and Javed, who admitted the victims to the hospital before fleeing.

“We were running around since 2am on Thursday to register a complaint. The police beat us up and also pulled the dead body in an effort to move it. We were, in fact, telling locals to clear the jam. We were only demanding compensation for the family of the victim,” Ram Kumar, Neeraj’s brother, said.

Locals said that women constables beat them up while the men constables tried to bundle them inside the police vans during the protest.

However, the police denied allegations of misbehaviour and lathicharge on the protesters. “We have already registered their complaint and we are on the lookout for the two scrap dealers. There was no lathichagre or misbehaviour with the public. We just opened the blockade and sent the body for a post-mortem examination,” Manish Mishra, circle officer (city), said.