In a tragic incident that has raised serious questions about public safety and administrative negligence, the Bhandup police have booked two officials of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) in connection with the electrocution death of a 17-year-old boy.
Victim and Cause
The deceased, Deepak Ajay Ramlingam Pillai, a resident of Village Road, Bhandup (West), died on August 19 after accidentally stepping into stagnant rainwater electrified by a punctured underground power cable.
Police Action and Charges
Following a detailed investigation, police registered a case under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act against Santosh Rudrashetty, Assistant Engineer, and Vikas Kailas Jadhav, DTC Janmitra and Complaint Redressal Center of MSEDCL.
Witness Accounts Highlight Negligence
Eyewitness Nitin Bansilal Jain, who runs a furniture store near the incident site, informed police that he felt electrical current in the stagnant water outside his shop early that morning. Despite repeated complaints to MSEDCL via their toll-free helpline (18002123435), no personnel arrived to prevent the hazard.
Technical Investigation Findings
The technical inspection revealed a low-tension underground cable beneath the road had been punctured, allowing live current to leak into the water. The cable installation did not comply with IS 1255-1983 standards, and no safety mechanism was triggered, resulting in uninterrupted power leakage.
System Failures and Accountability
Further investigation revealed that the complaint raised by Nitin Jain was registered under Service Request ID 053DSS02 and closed without proper follow-up. Both Santosh Rudrashetty and Vikas Jadhav were alerted via SMS but failed to act, directly leading to Deepak’s death.
Ongoing Investigation
The Bhandup Police have charged the two MSEDCL officials under Section 106 of the BNS Act. The investigation continues to determine further accountability.
