29-year-old electrocuted in waterlogged stilt parking in Peer Muchalla

Mohali, July 26

A happy family living in their dream house has been ruined as their lone breadwinner was electrocuted while trying to salvage his scooty from a waterlogged stilt parking in Peer Muchalla last night.

Past incidents

• On July 31, 2022, a 28-year-old shopkeeper, the only son of his parents, was electrocuted near the Maya Garden-3 housing society on the VIP Road during the rain at night. Girish Goel was returning home on his bike when he hit a pothole and crashed into a transformer alongside the road.
• On July 30, 2009, a banker, Kamal Sharma, a resident of Vikas Nagar, Baltana, was electrocuted after rainwater inundated their house. Sharma was electrocuted as he tried to switch off the inverter. His two daughters also suffered shock in a bid to save him.

Deceased Shiv Kumar (29), a resident of Bliss Avenue, Peer Muchalla, was electrocuted as he tried to remove his scooty near a panel for electricity meters in the waterlogged parking of his house. Hearing his shrieks, the neighbours rushed to rescue him, but couldn’t do anything as they realised current was running in waterlogged parking. The victim was extricated after the power supply was switched off.

He was rushed to a private hospital in Panchkula where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. Shiv Kumar is survived by his wife, three-year-old son and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. He has left behind a house loan of Rs 11 lakh.

Recounting the accident, local residents said as the heavy rain started flooding the society around 1 am, they started taking out their vehicles from the basement. With the July 8-9 deluge still fresh in their mind, when hundreds of vehicles were damaged, they started frantic efforts to save their valuables.

Tarun Bhasin, president, Bliss Avenue Society, said, “Barely one minute after Shiv was electrocuted, the power supply to the society was switched off as men had already been sent to cut off the power due waterlogging. I would say more than the hurry to salvage his vehicle, it was the fear of repeat of July 8-9 deluge and the panic to avoid the damage second time which did him in. It has been around 24 hours since then, the society is still without power.”

The local residents complained the drainage system outside the society was choked, resulting in flooding near the gate.

Junior Engineer Kulwant Singh, from the drainage wing of the Zirakpur Municipal Council, visited the spot.

Area councillor Gursewak Singh said, “The Municipal Council has been informed several times of the drainage and sewage issue. Even after July 8-9 deluge, nothing was done. For the past sometime, rainwater from Sector 20 and 21, Panchkula, has been diverted towards this side. Being a low-lying area, all water gets accumulated here.”