Nurpur erupts in protest after boy’s death linked to water crisis

Tempers flared in Nurpur on Friday after the accidental death of young Arjun, who suffered a fatal electric shock while arranging water for his family. Enraged residents, under the banner of Nurpur Sudhar Sabha (Regd.), staged a protest demonstration at the premises of the Jal Shakti Department (JSD) divisional office, raising slogans against the department for failing to restore proper water supply to the town.

The Sabha had earlier submitted a memorandum to the Executive Engineer (XEN) of JSD, giving a two-day ultimatum that ended on Thursday. Despite the warning, large parts of Nurpur continued to face water scarcity, with many wards reportedly deprived of regular supply for years. Holding the JSD accountable, the protesters alleged that the department’s negligence had directly contributed to Arjun’s tragic death.

During the protest, no senior officials were present in the JSD office. Later, however, the XEN assured the agitators that the damaged pipelines of the Chakki water supply scheme would be repaired by evening and that water would be restored to residents by Saturday morning.

The repeated breakdown of the Chakki scheme pipelines, particularly after landslides, has become a persistent crisis for both the JSD and the people of Nurpur, leaving households at the mercy of erratic supply.