18-year-old girl dies in mobile phone blast in Odisha

JHARSUGUDA: In a shocking incident, an 18-year-old girl of Kheriakani village under Laikera police limits in Jharsuguda district died after her mobile phone exploded while she was talking on Friday afternoon.

Sources said the victim, Uma Oram, was having a conversation with a relative using her cell phone while it was also put on charging. Suddenly, the mobile battery exploded with a loud sound causing severe burn injuries on her chest, hand and leg. Though she was rushed in an unconscious condition to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), she was declared brought dead by the doctors. Her brother Durga Prasad Oram said Uma wanted to talk to a relative after having lunch.

As the battery of the mobile phone was draining out, she plugged it for charging while talking over it simultaneously. “The cell phone of Nokia 3110 model was put on charging when she started talking to a relative. Its battery exploded suddenly. Before we could know what exactly happened, Uma fell unconscious. She was declared dead at the hospital,” Durga said.

A pall of gloom descended on the village as Uma’s death news spread. Her family members and locals have demanded adequate compensation from the mobile manufacturing company as this was a new model of Nokia which was launched last year. Meanwhile, a team of police officials visited the spot and recorded the statement of the victim’s family members. The body has been sent for post-mortem and a case registered.