Berhampur: As many as 10 women and a minor child boy sustained serious injuries after a live electric wire snapped and fell into a pond while they were taking bath at Gudiali village under Kabisuryanagar police limits in Ganjam district Wednesday morning.
A major mishap was averted as no one had entered the water body. All of them were standing on the concrete steps, leading to the pond.
As per reports, the women of the village had gone to take bath in a pond. All of a sudden, a live wire snapped and fell into the pond giving electric shocks to all present near the pond.
Villagers rushed to the spot and admitted the injured persons to Kabisuryanagar community health centre (CHC). Later, four of them were shifted to Aska Sub Divisional hospital as their condition worsened.
All the injured persons are stated to be stable now, informed sources. After getting information local police reached the spot and have started investigating into the matter.
The incident spread resentment among the locals who held the electric department officials responsible for the mishap.
They alleged that the electric wires passing through farmlands, village streets and ponds in the village have grown old and on the verge of collapse. Despite repeated pleas to change the wires, no steps are being taken by the officials concerned.
“Luckily, no major casualty occurred. Who would have been responsible is something major had happened. We have demanded the electric department officials to replace the wires, but no one is paying heed,” locals complained.
Till the last reports came in, officials of the electric department were yet to reach the spot and enquire the situation.