Badlapur: A 24-year-old newlywed worker died after allegedly suffering an electric shock while installing a banner on a roadside hoarding along the Katai-Karjat State Highway near D-Mart on the Ambernath-Badlapur border on Saturday morning. The tragic incident has once again brought worker safety during banner and hoarding installations under scrutiny.
Worker Falls From Hoarding After Electric Shock
The deceased was identified as Indresh Rajbhar (24). According to police and eyewitnesses, Rajbhar had climbed a high roadside hoarding to install a banner when he allegedly came in contact with a live electrical source. The powerful electric shock caused him to lose balance and fall from the structure, leaving him critically injured.
Local residents immediately rushed him to the Badlapur Rural Sub-District Hospital, where examined him and declared him dead before treatment could begin.
Newlywed Had Migrated From Uttar Pradesh For Work
According to his colleague, Anand Rajbhar, the deceased was a native of Uttar Pradesh who had migrated to Maharashtra in search of employment. He was residing in the Balkum area of Thane and had been married barely two to three months ago, making the incident all the more heartbreaking for his family.
Preliminary information suggests that the work on the elevated hoarding may have been carried out without adequate safety gear or protective equipment. Investigators are examining whether mandatory safety measures, including the use of insulated tools, safety harnesses and power isolation protocols, were followed before the installation work began.
Banner Link To Construction Firm Under Verification
Police are also verifying reports that the banner was linked to a construction company allegedly associated with a local political leader from Ambernath. However, officials said these claims are yet to be confirmed and form part of the ongoing investigation.
The Badlapur Police have registered the case and launched an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the electrocution. Investigators are also examining whether negligence on the part of the contractor or those responsible for the installation contributed to the fatal accident. Appropriate legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation, police officials said.
Safety Concerns Over Hoarding Work Resurface
The incident has once again highlighted the recurring risks faced by workers engaged in installing banners and hoardings, particularly during the monsoon season when wet conditions significantly increase the danger of electrocution.
The tragedy comes close on the heels of a similar fatal electrocution incident reported recently in Ulhasnagar, raising fresh concerns over the enforcement of safety regulations. Despite the Maharashtra government's directions to remove illegal hoardings and banners following a series of accidents, workers continue to undertake hazardous installation work, often without proper safety precautions.
The latest death is expected to renew demands for stricter enforcement of labour safety norms, accountability of contractors, and greater oversight over banner and hoarding installations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
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