Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Two construction workers died after suffering a severe electric shock when a cement mixer structure came in contact with hanging power lines in the Misarwadi area on Sunday around 4 pm. A case has been registered at the Cidco Police Station.
The deceased have been identified as Vishal Chavan (26, Jai Bhavani Nagar), and Malkan Jadhav (35, near Vitthal Temple, Mukundwadi). According to police and relatives, construction of a building was underway in a narrow lane in Misarwadi. Slab work on the second floor was in progress, and a cement mixer had been installed after digging a pit in the middle of the road. An automatic structure used to lift cement material reportedly touched overhead power lines of Maharashtra State electricity distribution company limited (MSEDCL). As the structure came in contact with the live wires, both workers, who were handling the cement, received a powerful electric shock and were thrown away. They were rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where doctors declared them dead.
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Negligence Alleged
Relatives alleged that prior intimation should have been given to the power distribution company if construction work was being carried out beneath overhead lines, so that the electricity supply could be temporarily disconnected. They claimed no such precaution was taken. The workers were also not provided safety gear such as helmets or gloves. The families have blamed the contractor’s negligence for the deaths.
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Relatives gather at police station
Following the incident, a large number of Vishal’s relatives gathered outside Cidco police station demanding action. They alleged that the house owner and contractor have absconded since the incident and demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against them. Police sub-inspector Nivrutti Gaike assured the family that legal action would be taken after due inquiry.
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Sole breadwinner lost
Vishal Chavan is survived by his wife, a young son, and a one-year-old daughter. With his father already deceased, Vishal had been the primary breadwinner of the family along with his elder brother. His sudden death has left the family devastated.