THANE: A
culpable homicide offence has been registered against a Thane company for the death of a man due to electrocution.
Dost Salmani (40), a barber who lived in a Bhandup chawl, came in contact with live electrical wires that were dangling from a neon hoarding of
Solutions Advertising Company while he was waiting at a bus stop near
Khopat junction on Monday afternoon. He was seated on the bus stop’s steel bench barefoot.
The firm was given an 11-year contract in 2013 by the
Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to display advertisements on bus stops across the city.
The police said the company had flouted several norms set by the civic administration in the contract.
During investigation, the police found that the agency was using low-grade wire for the job and hadn’t even ensured the mandatory earthing procedure.
Sub-inspector Prashant Londhe from Naupada police station said, “Salmani’s postmortem report from the Civil Hospital confirmed that he died of electrocution. Though the agency took an authorized power connection, it did not carry out the job of putting up hoardings efficiently.”
At the bus stop where Salmani died, a wire was found broken in the meter box, sub-inspector Londhe said.
“We have booked the agency as per section 304 of the
Indian Penal Code for causing death by negligence.”
Another police officer said an arrest (or arrests) would be made after further inquiries. Salmani is survived by wife and four children.