A 15-year-old boy tragically lost his life after being electrocuted at Nerul Railway Station in Navi Mumbai. The boy, identified as Arav Srivastava, a resident of Belapur, had gone to the station with his friends on July 6. He was accompanied by three friends—Rujhaan Bhandari (age 16, resident of NRI Colony), Kanishk Debasish Mukerjee (age 16, resident of Koparkhairane), and Manas Vikas Patil (age 16, resident of Kamothe). Like many curious teenagers, they entered the locomotive engine, unaware of the grave danger posed by the overhead high-voltage wires. There, his hand accidentally came into contact with a high-voltage overhead electric cable. The powerful shock threw him off the train, causing severe injuries to his head and body and burns over 60 to 65 percent. On 12 July 2025, Aarav Srivastava succumbed to injuries caused by electrocution from the locomotive engine at the National Burns Centre, Airoli, after fighting for six days in intensive care.
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The area where the locomotive was parked lacked any fencing, signage, warning boards, or railway personnel that might have alerted them to the risk. At no point was there any indication of the above hazard. The 15-year-old boy climbed onto the locomotive out of curiosity. He was not performing any stunts or making any social media reels, like several media outlets reported. The tragedy unfolded when a high-voltage arc flash occurred—an electrical discharge from the overhead live wire, triggered by proximity alone. Though there was no direct contact, the arc was powerful enough to cause extensive burn injuries, ultimately leading to his death.
Several reports have unjustly focused solely on Aarav Srivastav, neglecting to mention the presence of the other three boys and attributing entirely unfounded motives, along with the sensational and often inaccurate media coverage that followed. Contrary to earlier reports, it has been clarified by authorities that the incident was an accident, and no stunts or reels were being made. A medical legal case has been registered, and further investigation is in progress with the three boys, Rujhaan Bhandari, Kanishk Debasish Mukerjee, and Manas Vikas Patil.