Festivities turned tragic in Kalmeshwar, near Nagpur, on Saturday evening when an 11-year-old girl was electrocuted after coming into contact with a live wire from a streetlight during Ganesh Visarjan.
The victim, identified as Sonali Sandeep Maraskolhe of Karna Layout, Brahmani, Kalmeshwar, had gone out to play with her brother in a nearby ground. According to police, she accidentally stepped on an exposed electric wire connected to the streetlight, was immediately shocked, and collapsed, succumbing to the current on the spot.
The incident occurred at a time when hundreds of people had gathered in the locality for Ganesh immersion. Shocked residents rushed to the site, and soon after, tempers flared. Locals held the Kalmeshwar Municipal Council responsible, accusing it of negligence in maintaining streetlight poles, many of which reportedly have exposed wiring. They pointed out that the accident site, which houses a garden, gym equipment, and a temple, is a popular spot frequented by families and children every day.
The situation in the area remained tense late into the night. Police Inspector Manoj Kalbande conducted a panchnama, and Sonali’s body was sent to Nagpur for post-mortem examination. Later, a meeting was convened at Kalmeshwar Police Station in the presence of Tehsildar Vikas Bikkad, Municipal Council Chief Officer Akash Suradkar, an MSEDCL officer, social activists, and the victim’s father, Sandeep Maraskolhe.
During the meeting, the Chief Officer announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh, releasing ₹40,000 immediately to cover funeral expenses. However, residents and activists rejected the offer, calling it grossly inadequate, and demanded ₹50 lakh for Sonali’s family.
The incident has ignited widespread outrage in Kalmeshwar, with citizens demanding accountability and urgent corrective measures to ensure public safety around municipal installations.
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