Six electrocuted in Muzaffarpur

Patna: Six persons of a family, including two children, were electrocuted and charred to death in their sleep after a 11,000-volt high tension wire fell on them at Musahar Toli in Benibagh outpost under Gaighat police station area in Muzaffarpur district in the wee hours of Thursday.
Energy department principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit, who visited the spot during the day, said an inquiry has been ordered into the cause of the accident.The report would be submitted within 24 hours. The primary cause of the accident seemed to be breakage of a new ceramic insulator tied to wire.
The district administration handed over compensation of Rs 24 lakh by cheque to the bereaved family.
Benibagh outpost in charge Khurshid Alam said the incident took place at around 3am when Harichander Manjhi (40), his wife Mala Devi (35), sister-in-law Parmila Devi (35), daughter Poonam Kumari (15) and two grandchild Kajal Kumari (6) and Anjali Kumari (2) were sleeping together outside the house when the overhead high- tension wire fell on them.
Gaighat circle officer Nishikant said Parmila’s husband Ram Vilash Manjhi was handed over a cheque of Rs 4 lakh, while a joint cheque of Rs 20 lakh was handed over the three sons of Harichander. Harichander is survived by three sons — Krishna Kumar, Jaikishan Kumar and Rajesh Kumar, of whom only Krishna is adult and the rest are minor.