5 Deaths in a Week: 65-Year-Old Woman Electrocuted While Walking Through Waterlogged Street in Nagpur

New Delhi: In yet another shocking incident, a 65-year-old woman died after suffering an electric shock while walking through waterlogged streets in Nagpur, marking the fifth rain-related death reported in Maharashtra in a week.

The deceased, identified as Afroza Begum, lived alone in a rented house. She was returning from a grocery store on Wednesday night when she came into contact with electricity that had spread through water accumulated on the road in Gausia Colony in Nagpur's Tajbagh area, and she died on the spot.

The incident has sparked outrage, with locals blaming civic negligence and demanding action against the municipal corporation contractor and electricity department officials.

Residents alleged that negligence by the municipal corporation contractor and electricity company officials led to the tragedy and claimed unsafe electrical infrastructure and poor maintenance of the area caused the fatal electrocution.

While police have registered a case of accidental death, locals have demanded that criminal action be taken against those responsible. They have also sought financial compensation for the victim's family.

Fifth Rain-Linked Death in Week

The incident is the latest in a string of rain-related fatalities reported across Maharashtra.

A 17-year-old Class 11 student died after being electrocuted while walking through rainwater in Mumbra, Thane, allegedly after coming into contact with electricity from an exposed live wire. Following the family's complaint, police registered an FIR against officials of the power distribution company.

In another incident, two-year-old Soham Lakhan Kasbe drowned after falling into an unbarricaded, rainwater-filled drainage pit in Pune. Preliminary findings indicated that the drainage work had been left incomplete without adequate safety measures.

Open Manhole Claims Life Of 60-Year-Old In Mumbai

The monsoon also turned fatal in Mumbai's Saki Naka area, where 60-year-old Aslam Isak Shaikh died after falling into a 25-foot-deep uncovered stormwater drain on Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel.

The incident occurred around 12:26 PM yesterday while Shaikh was walking through a waterlogged road. As per reports, the contractual workers had removed the drainage grill and manhole cover for maintenance work but failed to install barricades or warning signs.

The desilting work had reportedly been delayed beyond its scheduled completion before the arrival of the monsoon.

Workers attempted to rescue Shaikh by lowering a ladder, but the powerful current inside the flooded drain swept him away. His umbrella and slippers were recovered immediately, while his body was found nearly 500 metres downstream after a three-hour search operation by the Mumbai Fire Brigade.

These tragedies have sparked widespread outrage, especially after the Bombay High Court had earlier described open manholes as ‘death traps’ and directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to install protective metal grills beneath manhole covers.

Following the incident, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide suspended four civic officials pending inquiry: Assistant Commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar, Assistant/Deputy Engineer Deepak Chougule, Junior Engineer Abhijit Chougule and Assistant Engineer Uttam Patil.

Schoolboy Killed After Tree Falls On Bus

Another heartbreaking incident unfolded in Mumbai's Chembur, where 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastav died after a tree collapsed onto his school bus during heavy rain. The bus was carrying 12 children when the tree crashed onto it on Road No. 11. Four other children were injured.

Vihan, the only child of his parents, was cremated with his favourite cricket ball, a gesture reflecting his family's grief.

His grandfather alleged that residents had repeatedly warned authorities about the dangerous condition of the tree but no action was taken. The family has demanded justice and accountability, insisting hazardous trees should be identified and removed before the monsoon.

As an action, BMC has suspended Assistant Garden Superintendent Jagdish Bhoir with immediate effect.