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A 14-year-old girl died of electrocution and another one suffered burn injuries when a flagpole on which the national flag was hoisted came in contact with a live wire while they were removing the pole in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, officials said on Thursday.
The incident took place on Wednesday – when the Republic Day was celebrated – at a government-run hostel for tribal girls , following which the district administration suspended the hostel superintendent and ordered a probe into it, they said.
“It happened around 5 pm on Wednesday at Pre-matric Scheduled Tribe Girls’ Hostel in Patewa village,” a police official said.
“When the two inmates of the hostel, identified as Kiran Diwan and Kajal Chauhan, were removing the long iron pole on which the national flag was hoisted, it accidentally fell on a high-tension electricity line that passes through the hostel premises, causing them electric shock,” he said.
While Diwan, a Class 9 student, died on the spot, Chauhan (15), who is in Class 10, sustained burns, he said.
An accidental death report was registered in connection and further probe is underway, he added.
The injured girl was shifted to Tumgaon health centre where her condition was said to be out of danger, officials said.
Meanwhile, Mahasamund Collector Nilesh Kumar Kshirsagar immediately suspended the hostel superintendent, Aishwarya Sahu, for her alleged negligence that led to the incident, an official statement said.
The collector has ordered an inquiry into the incident and instructed to provide better medical treatment to the injured girl, it said.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has expressed grief over the incident and directed that compensation of Rs 4 lakh under provisions of RBC (Revenue Book Circular) and Rs 1 lakh under Chhatra Durghatna Beema Yojana be provided to the family of the deceased student, the release said.
