Meghalaya: Man dies of suspected electrocution, decomposed body found two days after the incident in Tura

In an unfortunate incident, a man has been electrocuted to death after entering an unlocked gate of a transformer in Tura’s Public Health Engineering (PHE) Office. 

The victim is suspected to have been killed either Saturday or Sunday but was discovered only on Monday when Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) linesmen came to inspect the power lines leading up to the transformer inside the office complex of the Additional Chief engineer of the PHE department situated at Araimile market in Tura.

The body was reportedly decomposing when it was discovered indicating that it probably happened during the weekend when offices were on holiday.

Although the transformer generating power to the entire complex is housed behind the office premises, questions have been raised as to why it remained unlocked.

Garo Hills has a history of electrocution deaths due to carelessness on the part of MeECL officials and ground staff with time and again citizens of the region raising a hue and cry against the shoddy work of these “technical experts” that are endangering precious lives.

Possible leakage of live current from the transformer is not being ruled out either as the lifeless corpse was found on the ground, untouched by the nearby transformer.

Power leakages are not new to the MeECL which have many times been accused of poor technical workmanship.

Two years ago, the main sub-station at its headquarters in Hawakhana, Tura, was found to be facing a power leakage problem wherein sudden electrical surges would flow into the water pipes of the household that were located not far from the sub-station. The inmates of the house had many close quarters with death due to sudden electrical shocks through the water taps.

Shockingly, the MeECL was never able to identify the leakage and had to contend with installing a large earthing system to the ground to divert any further possible leaks to the house.

A low-lying live electrical wire that has been haphazardly installed from one end of the road to the other on a post just meters from the St. Anthony’s high school near Jengjal’s Baljek airport is posing a serious threat to human life.

Hundreds of students pass through the road where the low-lying wire dangles dangerously.

“We have noticed it for a long time but no one from the MeECL has come to check it. Anyone sitting on the rooftop of a bus can be electrocuted,” informed a few locals from the area who use the same road.