8 electrocuted to death

Eight people were killed and three others critically injured after they were electrocuted by a live wire of the Power Development Board (PDB) at Kadai village in Sirajganj Sadar upazila yesterday noon.

The wire came into contact and electrified a tin-roofed makeshift shop that the victims were carrying from a water-logged area to another place, said Md Abu Daud, officer-in-charge of Sirjganj Sadar Police Station.   

The victims are Md Abdus Sattar, 50, his nephew Sanwar Hossain, 25, Md Abdul Momin, 30, Md Rafikul Islam, 30, Md Habibur Rahman, 24, Md Abdullah, 13, Md Sajib Hossain, 13 and Raju Hossain, 14, all from Kadai village.

All the victims were relatives and neighbours of Abdus Sattar, the shop owner, who had requested them to help him relocate his shop as the place was waterlogged.

They were carrying the makeshift shop on their shoulders when it accidently scraped the wire above and tore it, electrifying the tin roof. As the victims were standing in a waterlogged area, the water too became a conductor for the electricity.  

Hearing their screams, some locals rushed to rescue them. However, some of the villagers claimed they could not rescue them immediately as the electricity supply was not switched off. Later, they informed PDB officials about the accident and requested them to switch off the power.

Six of the victims died on the spot while two others succumbed to their injuries in Sirajganj General Hospital, police said, quoting locals.

Three others remain under treatment at hospital.

Talking to The Daily Star, Md Mohiuddin, executive engineer of Sirajganj PDB, said they shut off the electricity when they came to know about the incident.

“PDB men went to the village to repair the damaged line, but the villagers were angry so the PDB men returned.”

The PDB engineer said the line remains shut.

Asked about the height of the supply line, Mohiuddin claimed it was suspended 15 feet above the road.

“PDB men will visit the spot and investigate the incident,” he said.