Student dies of electric shock in playground

Tribune News Service

Mohali, May 12

An 18-year-old student of BBA (first year) of Chandigarh University, Gharuan, died allegedly after receiving an electricity shock while playing in a football ground of the university complex last night. According to sources, the victim, identified as Toyesh Kumar Sharma, a native of Joginder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh, was playing in the ground when he suddenly touched a pole and got an electric shock.

“He fell unconscious following which the victim was taken to the Civil Hospital at Kharar from where he was referred to the Civil Hospital, Phase VI, Mohali. He died on the way,” said the sources.

While family members of the victim, including his father Munish Kumar and uncle Naresh Pandit, held the university authorities responsible for the incident, Prabhdeep Singh, the university’s spokesman, claimed that the victim was sitting on the pole. “The pole was wet due to rain, which probably caused the incident,” claimed Prabhdeep Singh.

Satnam Singh Sandhu, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said a six-member panel had been constituted to look into the incident and fix responsibility. Meanwhile, the postmortem has been conducted by a board of three doctors. “The primary report indicated that shock was the reason of the death,” said a doctor.

The police said investigations were under way in the case.