A nine-year-old boy in Andhra Pradesh died after being electrocuted at his school in BR Ambedkar Konaseema district on Friday, October 28. Four other students also sustained electric shock at the Zilla Parishad High School of Dontikurru village in Katrenikona mandal, after stepping on iron bars which had electricity passing through them. The deceased student Naveen was shifted to the Amalapuram Area Hospital where he passed away while receiving treatment. Two other students were still hospitalized as of Saturday evening, while the condition of the other two students is stable.
According to Katrenikona police, the mishap occurred during the lunch break on Saturday. As the construction work of the village secretariat was happening right across the school, iron bars and other construction materials were kept in school premises, police said. “The construction workers were using the school’s electricity supply to cut iron bars. The students came out during the lunch break and stepped on the iron bars which apparently had electricity passing through them,” Katrenikona Sub-Inspector Srinivas told TNM. Three students were shifted to the hospital immediately, where Naveen passed away, he added.
SI Srinivas said that the contractor and two other workers who were at the site have been booked under Sections 304A (causing death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased student, and Rs one lakh to each of the injured students.
Mummidivaram MLA Ponnada Satish visited the school where he addressed the media. “The incident is unfortunate. The cause of the incident was the negligence of the contractor. Contractors working with school staff should take precautions while carrying out work on the school premises. The contractor should support the family of the deceased student. The government will support the student's family”, the MLA said.