Mumbai: MSEB Officials Among Six Booked After Nine Months Over Child's Death from Illegal Electricity Connection and Open Wire in Mulund

Mulund Police have registered a case against two officials of Mulund Colony and four residents who illegally connected electricity in the colony, following the death of a six-year-old boy named Arnav Bhandare due to electric shock. Arnav died on October 29 last year. The case was registered nine months later based on a complaint by the deceased boy's father, Nilesh.

According to Nilesh Bhandare's police complaint, his six-year-old son Arnav was a Class 1 student at the Mumbai Municipal School. Since October 29 was a Sunday, there was no school. Arnav was playing with a cat since morning. Around 4:50 PM, there was a commotion outside the house.

When Nilesh rushed outside, he saw Arnav stuck to an open wire belonging to the MSEB (Maharashtra State Electricity Board). Nilesh's mother pushed him away with a stick. The family immediately took Arnav to a nearby private hospital for treatment. From there, he was taken to Agrawal Hospital for further treatment, where doctors declared Arnav dead. Mulund Police initially registered a case of accidental death and started an investigation. Nilesh had demanded action against the local residents, as well as officials and employees of the MSEB company, for unauthorized electricity connections in connection with his son Arnav's death.

The Mulund Police sought an inspection report of the electricity connection from the MSEB company. Upon receiving the report, it was revealed that the company's officials and employees had temporarily connected the wires without properly undergrounding them as per regulations. Additionally, the wire was left exposed on the ground, indicating negligence in its maintenance. Local residents were found to be illegally stealing electricity through the open wires. The investigation revealed that the negligence of all involved may have led to the child's death.

Based on the MSEB report, the police have filed an FIR against the assistant engineer of the Mulund branch of the MSEB, Gokul Pawar (39), senior technician Rajendra Salve (52), and resident Sachin Bodde (26), based on Nilesh's complaint. The FIR also names Sopan Bodde (46), Arjun Bodde (32), and Janabai Sonav (50) as accused in the case for unauthorized electricity usage in Jaishastri Nagar.