The Haryana Human Rights Commission has taken a serious view of the electrocution death of minor boy Rudra due to an unsafe LT fuse board attached to a transformer located at Rampura Colony, Kabri Road, Panipat. The Commission has strongly criticized the negligence of both the power department (UHBVN) and the Municipal Corporation, Panipat.
A report dated 27.10.2025 has been received by the Commission from the Superintendent of Police, Panipat. As per the report, in FIR No. 80 dated 06.02.2024 under Section 304-A IPC, registered at Police Station Old Industrial Area, Panipat, accused Sandeep has been arrested, and after completion of the investigation, the final report (challan) has been submitted before the court. The matter is listed for prosecution evidence on 20.03.2026.
A report dated 10.09.2025 from the Superintendent Engineer (OP) Circle, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Panipat has also been received.
The Commission, presided over by Chairperson Justice Lalit Batra and Members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, has carefully examined the report submitted by UHBVN regarding the electrocution death of minor Rudra. The Full Bench has expressed clear dissatisfaction with the report, especially on the aspect of compensation. Despite departmental officials being held responsible and negligence in adhering to public safety standards being admitted, the victim’s family has been given only ₹1,00,000/- as a token financial assistance — an amount the Commission finds grossly inadequate considering the severity of the incident and the irreparable loss suffered by the family.
The Commission is of the view that UHBVN has failed to take time-bound and appropriate action to determine and disburse adequate and just compensation.
Accordingly, the Superintendent Engineer (OP) Circle, UHBVN, Panipat has been directed to personally appear before the Commission on the next date of hearing and submit a fresh status report explaining the basis and criteria used to fix the compensation at ₹1,00,000/-. He must also produce relevant departmental rules/guidelines and detail the steps taken so far to review and enhance the compensation.
A detailed report dated 12.09.2025 has also been received from the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Panipat, stating that the fatal electrocution incident occurred on 06.02.2024 in Ward No. 24, Rampura Colony, Kabri Road, Panipat. It has been mentioned that the road level was raised by only about six (6) inches during road construction work undertaken in June 2023. The elevation was part of routine strengthening and paving procedures.
According to the report, the Municipal Corporation, Panipat prepared and submitted a report to the Deputy Commissioner, Panipat enclosing photographs showing the condition of the road before and after construction, depicting the raw/semi-paved road condition and the low height of the transformer and LT fuse board. The LT fuse board of the 63 KVA transformer (11 KV Rampura feeder) was already in an unsafe and low-height position even before the road work began. The report mentions that local residents, including Sanchit Batra, had repeatedly complained to the electricity department about the dangerously low height of the LT fuse board. The area lineman used to visit the site every 15 days for fuse failures, and the meter reader also visited regularly.
The Commission is not satisfied with the report submitted by the Municipal Corporation, Panipat. It observes that although the Corporation claims the road level was raised by only about 6 inches, no prior coordination or written communication was made with UHBVN before starting the work, despite the presence of active electrical infrastructure in the area. Proper coordination between departments is essential during road construction/repair to adjust transformers, LT boards, or electric poles to safer elevations. The lack of such coordination indicates administrative negligence.
Even if the unsafe condition of the transformer existed beforehand, the Municipal Corporation, being the local civic authority, cannot absolve itself of responsibility. The continued presence of a dangerously low LT fuse board on a public road shows the Corporation failed to identify the hazard and bring it to the attention of the concerned department.
Based on these facts, the Full Bench headed by Justice Lalit Batra finds that the Municipal Corporation, Panipat failed to install any barricading, fencing, or warning signage around this hazardous electrical structure in a densely populated locality, despite such measures being essential for public—especially child—safety. Although the immediate cause of electrocution was the unsafe LT fuse board under UHBVN, Panipat, the Municipal Corporation is also found to have failed in its statutory duties by not coordinating before initiating work, not verifying safety, and not taking necessary precautions.
Dr. Puneet Arora, Protocol, Information & Public Relations Officer of the Commission, informed that in view of the above facts and the serious allegations, the Commission has directed the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Panipat to submit a fresh status report on the above points before the next date of hearing.
Additionally, the Investigating Officer of FIR No. 80 dated 06.02.2024 (Section 304-A IPC), Police Station Old Industrial Area, Panipat, has also been asked to appear before the Commission on the next date with the complete investigation record.
The next hearing has been scheduled for 15 January 2026.
