Kupwara: On Wednesday afternoon, Reyaz Ahmad Lone went for a stroll to nearby paddy fields but shockingly never to return home.
Not very far from his home, a fatal electric shock took life of Lone 40, an army ex-serviceman and resident of Gulgam village in Kupwara district.
The horrific death of lone bread earner has left his family including two minor sons, -eldest 7-year-old, daughter and wife devastated.
The incident has once again raised serious questions on the overall functioning of power department plagued by poor infrastructure and marred by mismanagement.
The department has been accused of sheer negligence in death of ex-serviceman this time around as well.
Blaming power department for his death, the victim’s family and locals claimed that he (the victim) accidently touched a live high-tension transmission wire, which was hanging loose just a few feet above the ground (almost his height) in the field.
“The impact of electric shock was such that it knocked him down on the ground with full force. We immediately rushed him to the Kupwara hospital but he was already dead,” Showkat Ahmad Lone, victim’s cousin brother, told Curtain Raiser.
“Power department is solely responsible for his death. We had requested local power officials so many times to properly tie and organize the transmission wires to avert grave dangers to human lives and livestock but they never bothered to make necessary corrections,” he added.
The concerned officials should be held responsible for the horrific death and charged with murder, said victim’s wife.
“The live transmission wire just hanging loosely a few meters above the ground proved a death trap for my husband. Irresponsible power officials have snatched the life of my husband. They must be booked for the murder,” she added sobingly.
The victim had retired from services in February this year. He was now giving relatively more time to his family and to the education of children, said his neighbour.
While as the Kupwara village is still mourning the death, in yet nother incident of alleged sheer negligence, two young boys lost their lives on Sunday after they came in contact with a live power transmission line near Jasrota sanctuary in Kathua district area.
The victims identified as Suresh Sharma son of Madan Lal of Baloura and Adityang Sharma of Kuldeep Raj of Sarna Samba were riding a bike when the transmission line got snapped from pole and fell on them. The locals accused power department of negligence and demanded stern punishment to the concerned officials. Police has taken up investigations.
‘Transmission Line tied after fatality’
Fearing they may be held guilty of grave error and charged with negligence leading to death, the power officials posted in the area quickly tied the transmission wire to a certain height to give an impression that the wire in question was already at standard height from the ground, alleged the local residents.
“While we were busy with completion of medico-legal formalities at Kupwara hospital, concerned power officials quickly tied the transmission line to the pole to mislead the investigators,” said Showkat Ahmad Lone, victim’s cousin brother.
“How can a person get electrocuted if transmission wire is at a good height- well above his height. Power officials are trying to play smart by claiming that he did not die of a fatal electric shock by touching the live transmission wire accidently but by earthing somehow,” he added.
Police team visited the spot and investigations were ongoing, said a police official. “We just hope police will do a fair investigation and book the guilty officials for murder. They must be punished for the grave mistake on their part, which eventually led to the death of man,” said a local.
To a question, Kupwara Deputy Commissioner, Imam Din, told Curtain Raiser, “The incident is being investigated thoroughly. Guilty if any would not be spared,”
Executive Engineer power division Kupwara, Shameem Ahmad did not respond to calls from Curtain Raiser but his junior official said that the cause behind the electrocution can only be ascertained after thorough investigation into the incident was completed.
“Department has fully cooperated with police in investigations so far. Power officials would be dealt under law, if found guilty in this unfortunate incident,” he added.
‘Life threatening power infrastructure’
Dozens of people including the power officials mostly linemen have been electrocuted to death in Jammu and Kashmir in the past mostly as a result of poor power infrastructure. Some linemen lost their limbs or many others were even disabled for rest of their lives due to severe electric shocks they received during repair works.
But inspite of fatal electric shocks snatching precious lives, authorities have not done much to improve and upgrade years-old poor power infrastucture msotly in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Kupwara is not an exception.
Astonishingly loosely hanging live transmission wires, at many places, tied to poplar trees and years-old decayed poles continue to pose grave threat to human lives and livestock in Kupwara and elsewhere too.
In July 2019, three persons including father and son died due to a fatal electric shock in Nard village of Kupwara’s border town Karnah after a high-tension transmission line fell on them. Two others recieved serious burn injuries.
A lineman was electrocuted to death while repairing a high-tension wire in district’s border town Machil in December last year. Even a leopard died of electrocution after the wild animal touched the electric transformer just a few meters above the ground in Karnah.
At many places in frontier Kupwara district, the loosely hanging live transmission wires continue to pose grave dangers especially to school going children.
At some others places including Awoora and Manwan (pictured), the transformers have not been installed properly but left unattended just a few meters above the ground without a proper foundation.
