Thief suffers severe burns after being electrocuted by power line in Rajapuri

NEW DELHI: A thief sustained severe injuries after being electrocuted by a high-voltage power line in Rajapuri, New Delhi, on Monday morning. The police were informed about the incident through a PCR call at the Bindapur Police Station.

The victim was identified as Sumesh alias Vishal (24), son of Madan Lal, a resident of Khushi Ram Colony, Gupta Enclave, Vikas Nagar. According to the Police, The victim was electrocuted at around 5:25 AM on the terrace of a house in Rajapuri. The victim Sumesh was found injured following a distress call to the Bindapur Police Station.

The caller, Rajiv, son of Rajender from a nearby residence, reported the electrocution incident which was later corroborated by Lalit, the house owner where the incident occurred. Upon arriving at the scene, the Delhi Police team found Sumesh unconscious next to two mobile phones that were later confirmed as stolen from neighboring residences.

Sumesh has a documented history of similar offenses, with 18 previous cases of theft recorded against him.

Rescue operations were swiftly carried out, and Sumesh was initially taken to DDU Hospital before being transferred to the Burn Injury Centre at Safdarjang Hospital for specialised treatment.

The extent of his injuries underscores the dangerous nature of the high-voltage wire exposure, a pressing issue of urban safety that requires immediate attention.

Further investigations revealed that the electrical setup at Lalit’s house suffered considerable damage and malfunctioned due to the high-voltage fluctuations caused by the incident.

The local police are currently assessing the overall safety of the electrical installations in the area to prevent such hazardous incidents in the future. The case throws a spotlight on the dual issues of urban theft and infrastructure safety, particularly concerning unauthorised access to rooftops and the proximity of high-voltage power lines.

Local authorities are urged to revisit urban planning and safety regulations to mitigate the risks associated with such infrastructural elements. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the perils associated with theft and the dire consequences of neglecting urban safety norms.

Sumesh’s critical condition also highlights the need for more stringent enforcement of safety protocols to ensure that residential areas are safe from both criminal activities and infrastructural hazards.