A 26-year-old man in Patel Nagar, central Delhi, died from electric shock when he touched an iron gate during heavy rain on Monday. According to police, he might have slipped on the wet street and tried to hold onto the gate for support. Unfortunately, there was an exposed wire from a motor on the gate, which caused the electric shock that led to his death.
The deceased was identified as Nilesh Rai, an aspirant for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), who died just 50 metres from his paying guest accommodation. The incident took place around 2.40pm on Monday and an FIR was lodged, police said.
Deputy commissioner of police (central) Harsha Vardhan said, “We received a call about the electrocution at 2.43pm. A person was found stuck to an iron gate near the Patel Nagar Metro station due to an electric current in the gate. There was waterlogging on the road. The victim was taken to RML hospital, where he was declared dead.”
Nilesh Rai, who tragically passed away, is survived by his parents and two sisters. His family resides in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Narender Rai, works as a lawyer, and his mother, Neelam Rai, is a primary school teacher. Nilesh had finished his engineering studies in Bengaluru but chose to pursue a career as an IAS officer.
Rai’s landlord, Atul Dua, recalled how his wife alerted him around 2 pm that a man was in trouble at the gate. Dua hurriedly used a scooter and plastic pipes to help Nilesh Rai. “It was tough because his wristband got caught on the gate,” Dua explained. “When I finally freed him and saw his face, I realized it was Nilesh. I was shocked.”
“He was a sweet, hardworking, and smart boy. We last spoke 2-3 days ago, and he told us he had cleared the prelims. He was living here for at least two-and-a-half years,” Dua said and Hindustan Times reported.
Dua mentioned that Nilesh Rai had been at the library and stopped for tea at a nearby stall before heading back home.
The day after the incident, the street was still flooded with water, and there were many exposed wires scattered on the ground or hanging from poles along the entire lane. The iron gate where Nilesh Rai tragically died is surrounded by several wires, including those used for grounding.
At RML Hospital, Nilesh Rai’s cousin, Indu Bhushan, a lawyer, expressed deep shock over his death. “He was our only son. Nilesh had attempted the UPSC exams three times and finally cleared the prelims. We were all celebrating his success. How could this happen? Why were these dangerous wires near the house?” Bhushan demanded a thorough police investigation and arrests in the case.
A spokesperson from TATA Power DDL explained that Nilesh Rai’s death was caused by electricity leaking from a damaged motor wire. They mentioned that their team quickly responded to the incident once they were notified. The spokesperson also emphasized the importance of people following safety rules, especially during the rainy season.
Public Outrage
Residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) are advocating to work closely with local electricity distribution teams to manage loose wires, which have become a critical issue. Atul Goyal, president of United Residents Joint Action (URJA), representing over 2,500 RWAs in Delhi, highlighted the recurring incidents during monsoons. He stressed the need for better accountability from road and land management authorities, as well as electricity distribution companies (discoms), to prevent such accidents in the future.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, in a post on X, said: “A UPSC student died after getting electrocuted on the road following rain in Delhi’s Patel Nagar. This is not an accident, it is a murder caused by the failure of the government system. Is there no value for the lives of common citizens? What answer will that child’s parents get? He died while walking on the road, sorry?…”
The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the government for Nilesh Rai’s death. Praveen Kapoor, spokesperson for Delhi BJP, accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of negligence and called for ₹1 crore compensation to be given to Rai’s family.
Delhi Rain and Death from Electrocution
In the past month since the monsoon began in Delhi, three people have tragically died from electrocution during heavy rains. The latest incident occurred when a 26-year-old man was electrocuted after touching an iron gate in Patel Nagar. Earlier, on June 28, a 39-year-old man in Rohini’s Prem Nagar died after coming into contact with a live wire on a flooded road during heavy rainfall. Then, on July 13, a 34-year-old woman was electrocuted on a waterlogged road in north east Delhi’s Bhajanpura.
A BSES spokesperson said safety drives are being carried out across the city. “Safety inspections are being carried out on electrical equipment, including substations, feeder pillars, distribution boxes, and fencing across BSES areas to identify and rectify hazardous conditions, if any, and ensure the safety of the infrastructure,” the spokesperson said, adding illegal wires were being removed and jumbling of cables on electricity poles was also being sorted.
