Five electrocuted in Assam in 3 days, APDCL faces public ire
GUWAHATI: Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has faced widespread public ire and protests in the wake of death of at least five persons due to electrocution in various parts of state in the last three days after they had come into contact with either snapped and loosely wired high-tension power line.
The five deceased included three students. A college student identified as Dharitri Deka was electrocuted in Lakhimpur district on Friday after she had parked her cycle against an electric pole that had a loose live overhead electric wire, official sources said. She had gone to pick up her sister from tuition.
Two persons — mobile tower operator Mantu Bora at Laokhowa Road in Nagaon district and a class two student, Bidyut Das, in Jagiroad in Morigaon district were electrocuted. Bidyut came into contact with an electricity cable that had snapped and was lying near his Bihita primary school at Amolighat in Jagiroad.
One Raju Singh was electrocuted on Thursday at Lakhi Nagar in Nagaon district during flash floods. Another student, 12-year old Netrajit Biswas studying in class five, was electrocuted after he had come in contact with a live electric wire at Raikata of Islampur in Hojai district.
The protesters have demanded action against power supply APDCL officials for not repairing snapped electric wires and also called for resignation of state Power Minister Pallab Lochan Das for his failure to improve efficiency of the APDCL. Influential All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has flayed the Power department officials alleging that their indifferent attitude led to lose of precious lives.