A heartbreaking incident occurred on Friday morning in Arnala Dhaspada, Virar West, where four employees of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) received electric shocks while repairing a faulty transformer. One of them, 28-year-old Jayesh Gharat, tragically lost his life, while three others sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital for urgent treatment. Jayesh Gharat was a lineman with the MSEB and a beloved figure in the local community—not just for his service, but also for his contributions to tennis ball cricket. He was the younger brother of Prashant Gharat, a well-known tennis ball cricketer who has represented in prestigious tournaments including the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) and other reputed competitions across the country.
The Gharat brothers were the backbone of their local team, Saichha Arnala, which has earned several victories in local tournaments. Jayesh was known for his exceptional performances on the field and had won numerous individual accolades. In fact, just a week before the incident, Jayesh was awarded Man of the Series in a local cricket tournament, highlighting his talent and continued dedication to the sport. The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. during maintenance work on a malfunctioning transformer. A team of four linemen from the MSEB's Vatar division had climbed the transformer to carry out repairs. Suddenly, the transformer became live, and all four workers suffered severe electric shocks. Three of them were thrown off by the shock and survived with injuries, while Jayesh remained stuck to the equipment and was electrocuted on the spot. The injured workers were immediately taken to a nearby hospital. Jayesh’s untimely death has sent shockwaves through the local community, particularly among cricket fans and residents of Arnala.