Panchkula man to get Rs 8 lakh relief after losing limbs to electrocution

Harminder Singh, 62, lost his left leg and two toes of his right foot after he survived an electric shock in 2013. Holding Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam responsible for the mishap, a local court ordered the government undertaking to pay him Rs 8 lakh.

On the fateful day of September 10, 2013, a wire which was sparking fell on Harminder’s Scorpio parked outside his house in Sector 4, Panchkula. He wanted to move the SUV to a safer location. But as soon as he entered the key, he suffered a massive electric shock. He fell on the ground and his wife Kanta Devi, who was standing nearby overlooking construction work at the house, rushed towards him but passers-by did not allow her to touch him.

“He is my husband and I had to rescue him. He was unconscious. I shook him and he opened his eyes. But his body had turned pale. I took him to the general hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula, with the help of a neighbour. From there, he was referred to PGIMER,” she said.

Harminder lost his left leg and two toes of his right foot. He remained admitted at PGIMER up to October 12, 2013. He survived with 94% disability in both the lower limbs which was permanent in nature. The tragedy changed his life. He lent money on interest which he had to stop. “We sold off the Scorpio because it was useless for us and bought a smaller automatic car,” he said.

Harminder added, “The accident left me physically ineligible for work. Do not publish my picture in the newspaper. A number of wires are still hanging from electricity poles and people have met with similar accidents but nothing improves.”

“Harminder spent Rs 2.7 lakh for treatment. It was proven in court that the injuries sustained by Harminder were caused by high voltage current. We demanded a compensation of Rs 8 lakh which was allowed,” said his lawyer Vishal Madan.

WHAT THE JUDGE SAID

Civil judge ( junior division) Prateet Singh Dhonchak said, “Had the defendants (UHBVN) acted well in discharge of their duty to maintain the electricity wire in a safe condition, the incident would have been avoided. The defendants (UHBVN) did not exercise due care and caution... it is more than apparent that the defendants failed to discharge their duty in maintaining the electricity wire and pole in safe condition, which resulted in electrocution of plaintiff (Harminder Singh) and consequent injuries or amputation sustained by him.”