Nongpoh, Feb 1:A woman lost her life due to electrocution while foraging for wild vegetables in a forest near Umran Dairy in Ri Bhoi District on Tuesday.
The victim, identified as Edwina Lyngdoh Lyngkhoi (52), had ventured into the nearby forest with her daughter, a routine activity for them to gather wild vegetables to sustain their family, given their economically challenged background.
Sources reported that tragedy struck as Edwina, while navigating through the forest in search of vegetables, inadvertently stepped on a live wire that had fallen to the ground. The electrocution proved fatal and she succumbed on the spot. Edwina’s daughter, who was in the proximity, heard the distressing sound and rushed to find her mother unconscious on the forest floor.
Upon the daughter’s desperate call for help, villagers and the local police promptly arrived at the scene. The body was then shifted to Civil Hospital here to carry out necessary formalities in accordance with the law.
Lambor Bina, the Headman of the village, revealed that upon receiving information about the incident, villagers swiftly reached the site and discovered the victim lying unconscious on the live wire. He further stated that there had been no electricity shutdown in the village, indicating that the wire fell on the ground recently.
Addressing the issue, the Headman appealed to the authorities to conduct a thorough inspection of the power lines, emphasizing the need to clear any obstacles such as trees to prevent similar incidents in the future. Additionally, he urged residents to remain vigilant and inspect their surroundings to avert potential casualties.