‘Want truth’: Family after man electrocuted in Delhi street, negligence case filed

Around 8 pm on August 26, Sandeep, 28, who worked as a caregiver, was returning home when he allegedly came in contact with a street light pole in East Delhi’s Anand Vihar, got electrocuted, fell into a pit and died. His family, unaware about the accident, launched a hunt and contacted police when he did not return home that night.

About 12 hours later, his body was recovered from the pit. Officers on Saturday said a negligence case has been filed in the matter.The pole lies in the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government.

So far, the PWD said, no safety lapses have been found. Sandeep was the sole bread earner in his family. Officers said the post-mortem examination attributed his death to electrocution. Recalling the night of the accident, his uncle, Sunderlal, 68, said the family became concerned when he did not arrive at his usual time.

“I called him around 9.50 pm because he would normally be home by then. Someone disconnected the call,” Sunderlal said, adding that the family was unable to locate his mobile phone thereafter. The family members said that they searched for him for several hours before police found his body around 7 am on Thursday.

Sandeep’s relatives have raised questions over the circumstances of his death and alleged foul play. They have also held the authorities responsible, alleging that negligence in the upkeep of public infrastructure may have led to the incident.

Police, however, have denied any immediate indication supporting the allegation of foul play and said the role and possible responsibility of the agencies concerned would be examined as part of the investigation. Sandeep lost his parents as an infant and was brought up by his aunt and uncle in Shahdara’s Bihari Colony.

His uncle and aunt had stopped working after their health deteriorated. His cousin Manish said Sandeep would hand over his monthly earnings to Sunderlal, whom he regarded as his father. “The family is devastated. We want the truth about how he died and action against whoever is found responsible,” Manish said.

Police said the investigation into the negligence case is underway and that the findings of the technical examination and other evidence would be examined to determine whether any agency or individual was responsible for the death.

In a statement, the PWD on Saturday condoled Sandeep's death. The department said the Delhi government has directed that every aspect of the incident be examined and that accountability would be fixed if any negligence, lapse or breach of prescribed safety norms was found.

“Strict action will be taken against any person or agency found responsible for negligence or dereliction of duty,” the statement read. It said it has undertaken a detailed technical examination of the location, including an inspection of the electrical infrastructure and scrutiny of maintenance records.

According to the department, the findings available so far have not established any electrical defect or “current leakage” from the streetlight pole at the site. It also said that the pole and its electrical equipment had the requisite safety and protective mechanisms in place.