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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Will K-Electric face trial in electrocution case?

Shaikh Saad Ahmed, 31, had died after suffering an electric shock during the recent rains on July 29 within the remit of the Paposh Nagar police station. The victim’s brother Shaikh Waqas Ahmed lodged an FIR under Section 322 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code against K-Electric.

News Desk |

A judge in Karachi has declined to accept a police report seeking disposal of a case against K-Electric after a man was electrocuted during recent rains that flooded the port city.

The police filed an interim report in ‘A-Class’ – a report pertaining to the cases in which accused persons are unknown or untraceable – before the Additional District and Sessions Judge (West) Haleem Ahmed.

The complainant alleged that his brother died due to negligence and carelessness on the part of K-Electric officials concerned and action may be initiated against them.

The judge, however, did not accept the report and directed the investigation officer to file a final report within a week.

Shaikh Saad Ahmed, 31, had died after suffering an electric shock during the recent rains on July 29 within the remit of the Paposh Nagar police station. The victim’s brother Shaikh Waqas Ahmed lodged an FIR under Section 322 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code against K-Electric.

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FIR against K-Electric

According to the FIR, Dawn reported, the complainant said that his younger brother, Shaikh Saad Ahmed, was at his maternal aunt’s home in the Bara Maidan area of Nazimabad on July 27. He along with other relatives took their children on a motorcycle during rain for a joyride.

The judge, however, did not accept the report and directed the investigation officer to file a final report within a week.

At 6.30pm, it said, a relative’s child Furqan, using someone’s mobile phone, called the complainant telling that Saad and a child had suffered an electric shock from an electric pole in the Sarrafa Bazaar near Block-5 in Paposh Nagar and that both were being shifted to the ASH.

It further stated that the doctors at the health facility said the victim had died, but the child survived. The complainant further said that without completing any medico-legal formalities at the ASH, he shifted his brother to the Dr Ziauddin Hospital in an attempt to get his breathing restored, but doctors on duty confirmed to him that Saad had died from electrocution.

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The complainant alleged that his brother died due to negligence and carelessness on the part of K-Electric officials concerned and action may be initiated against them.

Police investigation

In the report, the paper reported, the IO stated that he visited the place of the incident, prepared a sketch, collected evidence and recorded the statements of the witnesses. The police official said that he sent letters to the medico-legal officers at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) and Dr Ziauddin Hospital to provide a record of the medical treatment or medico-legal procedures of the victim.

Shaikh Saad Ahmed, 31, had died after suffering an electric shock during the recent rains on July 29 within the remit of the Paposh Nagar police station.

However, the management of both the hospitals, respectively, informed him that the victim’s relatives took his body home without completing medico-legal formalities and without any medical treatment. He stated that a notice seeking permission to exhume the body was sent to the complainant, who on Aug 8 filed an affidavit that the legal heirs did not want exhumation.

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The officer’s report stated that letters were also sent to a general manager of the power utility as well as the electrical inspector for Region-II Karachi to provide technical assistance. He clearly stated that the report from the electrical inspector has not yet been received, however, his report is silent about the reply of KE’s general manager.

During the hearing, the investigation officer requested the court to dispose of the case in A-Class as the time stipulated for completing investigation in the present case had passed.

However, the judge refused to accept the interim investigation report and directed the IO to submit a final report along with the report of the electrical inspector within one week.