New Delhi: A 39-year-old carpenter died of electrocution while operating a pump connected to a water tanker near his home in south Delhi’s Tigri Saturday evening.The family of Arman, the deceased, and his neighbours blamed civic negligence for his death, saying an insufficient supply of water in the locality forces them to take such risks.A Delhi Jal Board (DJB) official denied its involvement, saying Arman received a shock while trying to channel water from the tanker to his rooftop tank by using his own pump.Tigri police station, which was alerted about the incident, has initiated inquest proceedings. No FIR has been filed yet.A police officer said preliminary investigation suggests the electrocution was caused by faulty wiring attached to the pump and not the tanker.
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“We suspect the wiring to be faulty. The presence of water may have intensified the shock,” the cop said.While Arman’s family claimed that the tanker was sent by the authorities, some locals said it was privately hired. “We are investigating whether the vehicle belonged to DJB,” the police officer added.Shabana, a relative of Arman, said, “The authorities do not supply sufficient water, and even when they send a tanker, it is not accompanied by personnel to ensure the safety of those drawing water from it.”The incident triggered protests by the locals, who took to the streets demanding piped water connections to their houses to prevent such accidents. They alleged that the colony’s chronic water shortage forces its residents to rely on water tankers and pumps, increasing the risk of electrocution.Virendra Kumar, one of the residents, said, “The water crisis has been going on for two months. We have been promised that the situation will be fixed and that a pipeline burst open because of metro construction work. However, these are excuses.”Arman is survived by his mother, wife and four children, all of whom are studying. He was the sole breadwinner of his family.
