Electrician dies on duty; mishap blamed on miscommunication

TURA, May 21: An electrician for a private contractor lost his life after the electrical line he was repairing reportedly turned on.
The incident took place at about 5 pm on Saturday evening at Rerapara village under Damalgre PS limits under South West Garo Hills (SWGH) when the electrician, who was working for a contractor tasked to repair electric lines for the MeECL, got electrocuted after the electricity line turned on inadvertently or otherwise.
In the photos and clips, which were also doing rounds on social media, the victim could be seen holding the live wire and hanging upside down from the same.
The lifeless body of the victim, who has been identified as one Meher Ali (32) of Teporpara under the same district, was later brought down.
The mishap has been blamed on miscommunication as the lines were supposed to have remained shut during the entire repair exercise.
However, locals of the area stated that the victim had come to install smart meters for BPL families of the area and may not have informed the local lineman, who was apparently in another part of the area repairing electrical lines that had been without power for some time. The same could not, however, be independently verified.
Upon being contacted, a highly placed source from the MeECL confirmed that they were unaware of the fact that smart meters were being installed, apparently by workers of the contractor, Satnam Global, in the area.
“There were disruptions in the main line and we were all busy with repair work. We were unaware of the fact that they were attempting to install smart meters on the lines. We received an urgent call asking us to shut the lines and did so. It was only later that we came to know that this took place. They had not informed anyone,” informed the source, citing anonymity.
As per him, smart meters require a change of wires as well as the replacement of meters, something that was allegedly being undertaken when the accident took place.
The matter, as per the Superintendent of Police Siddharth Ambedkar, is currently being investigated.
“As per information received, he was working on repairing the line when someone inadvertently switched it on. He was electrocuted and lost his life on the spot. The matter is currently being investigated,” informed the SP.
Cyclonic storms in the entire Garo Hills region have played havoc with electricity in most areas being affected. Electricity in most parts of SWGH is yet to be restored till the filing of this report.