Man found dead during rain in DLF died of electrocution, not cardiac arrest

A 22-year-old man who was found dead in DLF Phase 3 on June 28 died of electrocution according to the autopsy report, and not cardiac arrest as initially suspected, police said on Saturday.

The deceased man was identified as Kiran Jatav, of Karauli in Rajasthan. He worked at an under-construction house in lane V-40. His body was found by locals lying in a waterlogged stretch of the Moulsari Avenue Road around 7.30am on June 28, when it was raining heavily.

Police said that Jatav had walked to the spot for a cup of tea around 7am, and suspected that he fainted and drowned in the water or suffered a cardiac arrest. Inspector Balraj Yadav, station house officer of DLF Phase 3 police station, said that they received the autopsy report on Wednesday evening. “Doctors have mentioned that Jatav died of electrocution,” he said.

Locals said that his body was found near shops that had metal hoardings erected in front of them with iron pipes and power supply cables tied to them. Due to heavy rainfall, the water entered these shops, too, and the pipes were also submerged. Local shop owners said they didn’t dare go near the water or the body fearing electrocution.

Following the incident, officials of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) had snapped a power supply in the area to remove several damaged wires from the spot. However, according to people familiar with the matter, neither DHBVN nor police contacted each other.

A DHBVN employee said on condition of anonymity that they had reached the spot after receiving information that a man had been electrocuted. “Our officials visited the spot. Several damaged wires, which were illegal connections, were removed from the pole which passed through the spot where the body was found,” he said.

Family members of Jatav alleged that a police officer of DLF Phase 3 police station had made Jatav’s minor brother sign a written complaint saying he died of cardiac arrest. Yadav said that they have contacted Jatav’s family to approach them and submit a fresh complaint to proceed with registering an FIR in the case. “We will take necessary action after investigation to ascertain whose negligence resulted in the electrocution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dayaram Jagarwal, the deceased man’s uncle, said they had received a call from the police on Thursday and were informed that an autopsy report revealed Jatav had died of electrocution.

Jagarwal alleged that police asked them to go to the place where Jatav died and ascertain if the power supply there was of DHBVN or any other private entity, and then submit a complaint accordingly. “It’s the police’s work to do so. They should scan CCTV footage around the spot,” he added.

Sub-inspector Virender Kumar, the investigating officer in the case, said he had no information that DHBVN officials visited the spot and removed wires after the body was taken away.

Shalini Pannu, DHBVN executive engineer (sub-urban division), on Friday, said that neither her subordinates nor DLF officials informed her about any such electrocution incident. “Let me speak to my officials and take an update about the incident and what happened there,” she added.

Vikash Kaushik, assistant commissioner of police (DLF), said that necessary action will be taken against those whose negligence resulted in the worker’s death from electrocution. “Any laxity in the investigation will be dealt with,” he said.

Kaushik said that a police team would soon visit the spot to ascertain whose power supply was present at the spot that resulted in the electrocution. “Accordingly, we will register an FIR against the negligent persons and take necessary action against them,” he added.