Angry mob attacks Palli Bidyut office over electrician's death

An agitated mob attacked the local office of Palli Bidyut Samity in Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur this afternoon, after an electrician was electrocuted to death.

According to locals, a power line had snapped during a storm in the Bausi area of Sarishabari municipality. Around 5:00pm today, three electricians were working to fix the line when an active 11,000-volt line from the Power Development Board (PDB), running above the Palli Bidyut line, electrocuted all three after coming into contact accidentally.

The victims were rushed to the Sarishabari Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared one of them dead.

The deceased was identified as Bipul Mia, 30, a resident of Bausi Panchpir area, confirmed Sarishabari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Rashedul Hasan.

The two other injured are Motaleb, 40, and Badol, 35.

Blaming the incident on negligence, locals stormed the zonal office of Palli Bidyut Samity in nearby Kamrabad and vandalised the office, said Delwar Hossain Khan, deputy general manager (DGM) of the Sarishabari zonal office.

A security guard, Raju Ahmed, 27, was reportedly injured after being beaten by the mob, he said.

"The fallen wire was from our line, but our power supply was shut. It was the active PDB [power] line that caused the accident," said Delwar.

He claimed the attack on their office was unjustified and said they would take legal action.

The attackers damaged furniture and two motorbikes, he added.

Police and army personnel later visited the scene and brought the situation under control, he said.

Mohammad Moshior Rahman, executive engineer of the Sarishabari Power Development Board (PDB), told this correspondent, "Our line was active. Those who went there to work did not inform us in advance. As a result, we had no prior knowledge of the situation."

OC Rashedul Hasan further said police visited the hospital after the incident and also inspected the vandalised office.

"No formal complaint has been filed yet. We will take action once we get a complaint," he added.