Nayagarh: Two farmers were left battling for life after they accidentally came in contact with a snapped 11kv live wire while working in their farmland at Nabaghanpur under Sadar block in Nayagarh district, Monday morning.
The two sustained critical burn injuries and have been admitted to Nayagarh district headquarters hospital (DHH). The duo has been identified as Dhaneswar Muduli and Bhagban Behera.
While Dhaneswar suffered burn injuries on his head and hand, Bhagban sustained burn injuries on his chest and face.
According to sources, Dhaneswar had gone to work in his farm Monday morning. Meanwhile, an 11kv live wire got snapped and lay tangling near his field. Unaware, he came in contact with the wire and fell unconscious on the field.
A few hours later, Bhagban, a neighbour of Dhaneswar, who went to the field found Dhaneswar lying unconscious. Assuming he might have collapsed, Bhagban alerted his family members.
Later, when he again went to work in his field, he also came in contact with the wire and fell unconscious. Another villager in a nearby field spotted him and alerted his family members after which the duo was rushed to the district headquarters hospital.
This spread outrage among the villagers who alleged the neglect by the electricity department personnel had led to the mishap. Electric wires snap and lay tangling over fields and at public places frequently, the villagers alleged. Despite repeated complaints, the wires were not replaced, they added.
The villagers demanded immediate replacement of the old and soggy wires with new ones. The villagers said the two farmers hailed from poor background and demanded that the electric department bear their medical expenses.
PNN