A 26-year-old man, identified as Nilesh Rai, was electrocuted to death on Tuesday afternoon after allegedly stepping into a waterlogged street near Patel Nagar metro station in central Delhi, according to police reports. Rai, a UPSC aspirant residing in Ranjit Nagar, was found stuck to an iron gate, with an electric current being the suspected cause of his death.
Police investigation and response
The incident occurred around 2:40 pm, and the first information report (FIR) was lodged promptly. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Harsha Vardhan confirmed the victim’s electrocution was linked to an electric current in the iron gate, exacerbated by road waterlogging. Rai was pronounced dead at RML Hospital. Forensic teams are currently investigating the scene.
“We received a call about the electrocution incident at 2:43 pm. A person was found stuck to an iron gate due to an electric current near the Patel Nagar metro station. On reaching the spot, it was found that the victim was electrocuted due to an electric current in the iron gate. There was also water logging on the road. The victim was taken to RML hospital, where he was declared dead by the doctors,” Harsha Vardhan said.
Political reactions
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal condemned the incident, attributing it to government negligence and questioning the value placed on citizens' lives.
“A UPSC student died after getting electrocuted on the road following rain in Delhi’s Patel Nagar. This is not an accident; it is a murder caused by the failure of the government system. Is there no value for the lives of common citizens? What answer will that child’s parents get? He died while walking on the road, sorry?... ”, she wrote on her official X account.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Kapoor demanded a thorough investigation and a Rs 1 crore compensation for Rai’s family, accusing the AAP government of negligence.
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