Accident: A 17-year-old class X student of Mendrelgang Central School was electrocuted on August 17.

On the day of the incident the student was on leave attending his late grandfather’s 14th day last rites in Mendrelgang.

According to Tsirang police, the deceased and his neighbours had gone to collect flagpoles. The boy was electrocuted when he was erecting the flags near a 33KV distribution line post.

A Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) electrical technician stationed at Mendrelgang gewog said that he had repeatedly warned the deceased and the group not to erect flags within a six metre radius around the electric post but they ignored his warnings.

The BPC electrical technician had even verbally complained to the gewog’s mangmi after which the boy and the group had agreed. However they continued to erect near the distribution line post.  “A green bamboo prayer flag pole fell on the naked wire of 33KV distribution line and the boy was electrocuted,” said a Tsirang police official.

Although the boy was immediately taken to the nearest Basic Health Unit, he was declared dead on arrival.

BPC immediately shut down the power supply and doctors from Damphu hospital conducted a joint investigation.

The body was handed over to the family in presence of the school authority.

Later all flag poles near the electric post were cleared. People have been informed not to erect flags near the electric posts.

Nirmala Pokhre | Tsirang

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