Howrah, 5 Aug (H.S.) — A 40-year-old man, identified as Vijay Das, also known as Nanki, died tragically after being electrocuted in the waterlogged Ramrajatala area of Howrah on Tuesday morning. The incident has caused panic among local residents.

According to local sources, persistent rainfall over the past few days had left Ramcharan Seth Road in Ramrajatala submerged. Heavy showers on Monday night worsened the waterlogging. Swapan Kumar Roy, a resident of the third floor of a five-storey building in the area, had decided to move belongings to his home in Khanakul. On Tuesday morning, a goods vehicle arrived to transport the items, and three to four labourers, including Vijay Das, were tasked with carrying them down from the apartment.

By the time most of the goods had been loaded, Das reportedly touched the building’s grill, which had become electrified. An exposed electric wire from the building’s meter box was in contact with the grill, and due to the accumulated rainwater, the grill had become live. The moment Das touched it, he suffered a severe electric shock.

He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Police from Chatterjeehat police station and officials from the CESC power distribution company reached the scene soon after. The building’s electricity supply was disconnected to prevent further danger.

Authorities said Vijay Das was originally from Bihar and lived in the Ramrajatala area of Howrah, working at a local factory. He also occasionally worked as a van-puller and a labourer. On Tuesday, he had gone to the building for such work when the tragedy occurred.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh