UP youth electrocuted, sister dies trying to save him

Muzaffarnagar, Dec 13 (IANS) A 20-year-old youth, cleaning a choked drain pipe on the terrace of his house located in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, was electrocuted when the iron rod he was holding, accidentally touched an overhead high-tension cable.

While trying to revive him, Pradeep Singh's 18-year-old sister Pinki was also electrocuted.

The incident took place at Gujjarhedi village on Saturday evening.

Sompal Singh, the father of the victims, alleged that after the deaths of his children, he tried calling up the electricity department but no one answered the phone.

None dared to touch the bodies till the power was switched off.

"We have repeatedly been complaining to the power department to remove the overhead high-tension cables from the residential area but to no avail."

As news of the deaths spread, local people and members of the farm organisation, Bhartiya Kisan Sangathan, gathered at the spot and staged a demonstration, demanding compensation for the victims' family.

Dharmveer Saini, an engineer in the electricity department, said: "The family of the dead would be given Rs 5 lakh for each victim."

He added that a deadline had been fixed for removal of the high-tension cables.

Mukesh Solanki, station house officer, Titavi police station, said that though no case has so far been registered, investigations are on.