MUMBAI (Metro Rail & Steel): In a distressing incident at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) construction site in Chembur, two site supervisors were apprehended by authorities following the tragic death of a 15-year-old boy due to electrocution. The unfortunate incident occurred on November 27, resulting in the loss of the young life. The Mumbai police took swift action, lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against MMRDA officials in connection with the incident. Prajwal, a Class 10 student and resident of Chembur’s Siddharth Colony, met with the fatal accident while engaging in outdoor activities near the Metro construction zone.
According to the police report, Prajwal ventured out to play with his friends post-lunch at approximately 3:30 pm on that fateful day. Alarming news reached his grandmother, Vandana Nakhate (54), when one of his friends hurriedly informed her of Prajwal’s electrocution. In her statement to the authorities, Nakhate expressed her immediate distress, narrating how she rushed to the location and found Prajwal lying near a bus stop, in contact with the Metro sheet on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). She mentioned her inability to approach him out of fear of being electrocuted herself. Bystanders gathered and cautiously moved Prajwal away from the metal sheets using a cloth, as recounted by Nakhate to the police.
Further investigation revealed that an LED light wire had sustained damage, leading to an electrical current flowing through the metal sheets encircling the MMRDA compound. Prajwal was swiftly transported to Sion Hospital; however, tragically, he was declared deceased upon arrival. The Nehru Nagar police station filed a case against MMRDA officials overseeing the Metro shed construction, citing negligence resulting in the untimely demise of Prajwal. The incident has raised concerns regarding safety measures and oversight at construction sites, sparking calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the fatal accident.
The authorities have vowed to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to ascertain accountability and ensure stringent safety protocols at such work zones to prevent similar mishaps in the future.
