SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has asked the state government to order an inquiry into the death of a woman caused by electrocution in West Garo Hills.
The government has to submit the report within 30 days.
An official statement in this regard said on Friday that the MHRC headed by its acting chairperson PJP Hanaman and the Judicial Member B Giri has registered a suo motu case on the news item published in The Shillong Times on January 10, under the caption “Woman dies from electrocution near Tura”. According to the commission, the death as reported appears to reveal sheer negligence and callousness of the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd. (MePDCL) which is tasked with the maintenance and supervision of high power transmission line to the whole state. The commission has issued notice to the state government and to the MePDCL. According to the news report, Hensolin D Sangma, mother of two, was out cutting overgrown banana plants when she came in contact with live wire from 33 KV transmission line that was just above one of the banana plants. The contact with live wire electrocuted her and her body was found by her families at the site a few hours later. The MHRC directed the state government to institute an inquiry into the incident, which according to the commission, has taken the life of a poor woman.