BARPETA, July 18 - Four children, all around ten years in age, lost their lives when a loose electric wire carrying 11,000 volts fell upon them at Amguri village under Kalgachia police station in Barpeta district on Saturday morning.
According to information available, a few children had gone out to the field adjacent to the village to collect green fodder for the cattle crossing a deserted canal of Beki river. As they crossed it, a live wire was disconnected and fell upon them killing all of them on the spot.
The deceased have been identified as Rakibul Khan (10), son of Jangser Ali; Sona alias Abdur Rashid (8), son of Omar Ali, Abdul Halim (9), son of Manowar Hussain and Saidul Rahman, (10), son of Abdul Rezzak.
The entire Kalgachia area was struck by sorrow at the loss of as many as four children. They unequivocally condemned the negligence and indifference of the Sarbhog subdivision of the ASEB in failing to detect and repair the defect. They alleged that no responsible official has ever inspected the line since its inception. The people have demanded ten lakh ruppes each to the next of kin as compensation.
