Hyderabad: An improperly maintained high-tension electricity wire claimed the life of a young territorial Army aspirant on Monday. The youngster had gone to relieve himself when he ran into a low-hanging wire and got electrocuted.
The police identified the person as Saika Aravind, 19, of Mulamalla in Atmakur mandal of Wanaparthy district. He was a second-year graduate student at Sri Vani Degree College in Wanaparthy.
According to Malkajgiri police, Aravind had come to the city with six friends on Sunday night to attend the recruitment drive of 125 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army). The recruitment rally was being held at the 1105 Railway Engineer Regiment office at Moula Ali under Malkajgiri police station.
The six youngsters, all residents of Government BC Welfare Boys’ Hostel in Wanaparthy, were waiting in an open area near the venue for the recruitment drive to begin. There were around 10,000 aspirants. Around 4 am, the youth went near the bushes to relieve themselves when the incident occurred.
“Because of the darkness and thick fog, Aravind could not see the wire,” said Ramanjaneyulu, a friend of Aravind’s, who was with the group. “There was a loud noise followed by a flash where Aravind was walking. The wire hit his throat. His body was flung in the air and his left leg also came in contact with the wire.
Aravind died on the spot.” Army personnel and the police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area to prevent a big crowd from gathering.
Based on a complaint from Aravind’s father Anjalanna, a case has been registered under Section 304 A of IPC (causing death due to negligence) for the probe.
The body was handed over to his father after performing the autopsy at Gandhi Hospital mortuary.
“The facilities for the participants in the recruitment rally would be provided after the recruitment process starts, but not before that. It is not easy to provide the amenities to all the participants before the recruitment,” said an army official. A police official from Malkajgiri said “The Army have said that they would only provide the amenities inside the campus but not before the drive start. And, there are also no public toilets available in the vicinity of the place of recruitment.
