DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Four children of a family, including three brothers, died after suffering an electric shock in Garah Mitho village of Tank district on Saturday.

A police official said that the electric cables of the high transmission line were lying on the ground when the children touched them. He said that the children were grazing cattle in the fields when they came across the power line lying on the ground and touched them. As a result, they suffered a fatal electric shock and died on the spot.

The ages of the children ranged between eight and 12 years. The father of the three victim brothers was identified as Jamshed Jimmy.

Residents said that the cables on the high transmission line had been lying on the ground for the past two days. They said that they had informed the Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s office in Tank about the transmission line, but to no avail.

Later, the victims’ relatives and locals placed the bodies on the road and staged a protest demonstration against the Pesco authorities and the district administration.

Family members of the deceased children said that the deaths occurred due to the negligence of Pesco staff, and demanded registration of a case against them.

The protesters announced they would continue their demonstration until an FIR was registered against the responsible officials.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2024