13-year-old boy electrocuted while posing for pictures atop a train

Bilaspur: A 13-year-old boy died after he accidentally came in contact with an overhead live wire while posing for a picture atop a stationary train in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district, police said on Monday.

Ketan Poddar, a resident of Vaishali Nagar area here, had gone to Uslapur station along with his friends last evening, when the incident took place, Station House Officer, Government Railway Police (GRP) Station S L Navratna said.

The victim, a class IX student of St Francis School, was posing for pictures, which he wanted to put on Facebook, his friends later told the police.

Ketan, whose father is a railway employee, had left home along with his friend telling his family members that they were going out to complete some project work, the SHO said.

The duo, was later joined by their three other friends, reached Uslapur station. While everyone was busy taking pictures, Ketan climbed up on the guard's room of the goods train parked in the outer section of the railway station and asked his friends to take his pictures.

"However, Ketan came in contact with the overhead live wire and was electrocuted," the SHO said.  His panic-stricken friends, who were witness to the accident, left the place and did not tell about it to anybody.

When Ketan did not arrive at home till late night, his family members launched a search and also informed the police.

"Ketan's friends revealed the incident only after the victim's family members asked them about his whereabouts, following which police reached the spot and recovered the body," he added.

Navratna said that according to Ketan's friends, he had earlier got his photographs clicked on a stationary train at the same place, which he had uploaded on his Facebook profile, which were appreciated by many of his friends.

"Therefore, he wanted some more photos at the same spot, which is why they revisited the place," the SHO said. A case has been registered in this regard and further probe is on.