3-member committee formed to probe Bhosari MSEDCL transformer blast
A team of MSEDCL and police officials inspected the site, where a five-month-old infant Shivani Kakade, and her maternal grandmother, Sharda Kotwal, died in the explosion
Indrayaninagar in Bhosari, on Monday, resembled a crime scene, with the yellow ticker tape surrounding the site where the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) transformer blew up on Saturday, killing two persons.
A team of MSEDCL and police officials inspected the site, where a five-month-old infant Shivani Kakade, and her maternal grandmother, Sharda Kotwal, died in the explosion. The mother of the infant, Harshada Kakde, was also seriously injured in the incident and is currently under treatment at the Sassoon General hospital.
For all the trappings of a crime scene at the site, the fact is, on Monday, no FIR had been registered as yet.
Rajendra Kunte, senior police inspector, MIDC, Bhosari, said, “The treatment of the mother is still going on at Sassoon hospital. No FIR has been registered in the case till now.” The police will wait for the MSEDCL report to establish what the cause of the transformer explosion was.
A junior MSEDCL team of eight officials did a basic inquiry and then later in the day, the three-member committee formed to investigate the blast, came on site. Photographs of the blast debris were taken as well.
When asked for early details of the inquiry, the officials said, “Until the investigation is over, we cannot speak.”
However, neighbours of the deceased were not impressed. “We had seen sparks emerging from the transformer and complained to MSEDCL, but they took it lightly. After the blast on Saturday, officials from MSEDCL came to repair the transformer, but we did not allow them. Now our demand is for them to remove this transformer,” said Aruna Retwade, a neighbour of the Kakde-Kotwal family.
“The death of our neighbours has only happened because of negligence of MSEDCL,” alleged Madanlal Chaudhari, who runs a grocery shop in the Rajwada, Indryaninagar, Bhosari . The transformer is located 10 feet from the society.
Harshada Kakade was giving bath to her 5-month old daughter Shivani at a small courtyard in front of the house when the incident happened and hot liquid from a transformer spell on them and grandmother Sharada Kotwal.
Statistics provided by MSEDCL shows that 19 persons were electrocuted in 2017-18 due to accident involving MSEDCL equipment. In 2018-19 that number as 21.
PCMC mayor Dhore visits family; calls meeting today
On Monday, the mayor of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Usha Dhore, visited the family of the deceased at Charoli, Mulshi, where the family is currently staying after the incident.
“Such incidents should not happen in the future. I have called a meeting with the officials of MSEDCL and civic body on Tuesday,” said Dhore.
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