Heavy Rain in Kolkata Rain Turn Deadly: 25-Year-Old Electrocuted By Live Wire In Bhawanipore

Kolkata: A 25-year-old man named Sourav Gupta died in Bhawanipore on Friday after being electrocuted while returning home. The incident took place on Justice Dwarakanath Road, where water had accumulated due to heavy rain, as per a report by TIE. Gupta came into contact with a live electric wire, which had been hanging from a house's railing, leading to his untimely death.

Incident DetailsAccording to local reports, continuous rainfall had caused water to pool on the road. As Gupta walked through the water, he unknowingly touched a live wire hanging from a nearby house, leading to his electrocution. Eyewitnesses described how he collapsed into the water after being electrocuted. Locals, using bamboo, managed to pull him away from the wire. He was rushed to Shambhunath Pandit Hospital but was declared dead upon arrival. Police Action and InvestigationThe police have registered a case of unnatural death and negligence against the nearby housing unit responsible for the hanging wire. A team from the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) visited the site on Saturday to investigate. The police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident. Authorities' ResponseKolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor-in-Council, Sandipranjan Bakshi, stated, “We thoroughly checked the electricity poles in the area. There are no municipal poles near the site of the accident. The issue appears to stem from an illegal attempt to switch on lights using the meter box of a nearby house. Police and CESC are investigating the matter.” Political ReactionsThe incident has sparked political reactions, with State BJP President Sukant Majumdar criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He said, “This tragic event occurred in the Chief Minister’s own constituency and could have been avoided. Despite her administration’s efforts to control the situation from Nabanna, a young man lost his life due to electrocution in stagnant water.” In response, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh defended the government, stating, “Sukant Majumdar is politicising a tragedy. Those responsible for similar incidents, like flooding in stations and airports in other states, are now commenting without understanding the local situation.”