A 30-year-old woman died and nine people, including four women and three children, suffered burn injuries after a high-tension-power-line fault allegedly electrified several houses in Rajasthan's Kota on Sunday, police said.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 12:30 pm at Barda Basti on Crusher Road under the Anantpura police station limits when electrical appliances inside houses suddenly became live, forcing residents to rush out.
Circle Inspector Ramesh Kavia said an insulator of a high-tension power line of the Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL) passing over houses got dislodged with a loud blast, causing electrification in the houses below.
Salma, the wife of Ashfaq, died on the spot, while nine people, including four women and three children, sustained burn injuries, the officer said.
The injured were identified as Bhuribai (25), Ayodhyabai (48), Seema Kanwar (35), Nashveen (50), Irshad Bag (60), Ashfaq (33), Arshil (9), Joya (14) and Alia (12).
After receiving information, police and JVVNL officials reached the spot, disconnected the power supply to the locality and shifted the victims to the New Medical College Hospital. Salma was declared dead, while the injured, who were admitted to the hospital, are in stable condition, the officer said.
Police have initiated proceedings under section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to ascertain the cause of the incident.
The deceased's body will be handed over to the family members after the completion of legal formalities, the officer said.
Superintendent Engineer, JVVNL, Kota, Shivcharan Jangid, said stone pieces from nearby mines might have hit and damaged the insulator, electrifying the houses.
He also claimed that the affected houses were constructed illegally on forest land and had enclosed the high-tension power tower within their premises.
Local power supply has been restored following repairs, but Jangid has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
