23-year-old man electrocuted to death near waterlogged Ghaziabad park
A 23-year-old man died after being electrocuted in a waterlogged area near a transformer close to a park in Ghaziabad on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred at around 3:00 PM during rainy weather.
The victim, identified as Narendra Kacchi, also known as Bablu, was walking out of the waterlogged park with another man when they crossed an area of accumulated water surrounding a transformer at the exit. A video of the incident, which was widely shared on social media, showed Kacchi collapsing after suffering an electric shock, while his companion narrowly escaped.
Saurabh Chaturvedi, a local shopkeeper, said his father was the first to spot Kacchi after the electrocution. Chaturvedi's father and a few other residents rushed to the spot with wooden sticks. They contacted the electricity department to shut off the power to the transformer, and Kacchi's body was pulled out approximately 15 to 20 minutes later. Another resident, Dhannu, noted that while a crowd of about 50 people had gathered, no one dared to step into the water initially due to the danger of electrocution.
Local residents alleged they had made multiple complaints regarding the transformer, including one filed 10 days prior to the incident. Dhannu claimed that a cow had been electrocuted at the same spot 10 days ago, and dogs had also died there previously.
However, officials from the Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL) stated they had not received any prior complaints about the transformer. PVVNL officials said they are waiting for the post-mortem report to confirm the exact cause of death, adding that a committee will be formed to investigate the matter if electrocution is confirmed.
The Ghaziabad Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons under sections related to causing death by negligence. The post-mortem examination has been conducted, and the report is currently awaited.
Kacchi worked as a building caretaker and also washed cars. His elder brother, Kamlesh, who works as a plumber in Indirapuram, learned of the death from their mother, who called him from their home village in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Kacchi had lived in Ghaziabad with Kamlesh for five years to help support their parents and two other siblings by sending home Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 each month.
