Ashish Manjhi Succumbs to Burns Days After High-Tension Wire Accident at Washing Line Area
Key Points:
- Ashish Manjhi, burnt by high-tension wire at Tatanagar Station on May 30, dies during treatment
- Family blocks postmortem until railway gives firm assurance on job and compensation
- RPF, GRP and local administration rush to station as tension mounts
JAMSHEDPUR — Ashish Manjhi, a young worker from Shankarpur in the Parsudih police station area, died late Saturday night at Tata Main Hospital after battling burns for several days following a high-tension wire accident at Tatanagar railway station.
The incident had taken place on May 30 in the washing line area of the station. Manjhi had climbed atop a coach to carry out air-conditioning repair work. While working on the AC unit on the roof, he came into contact with a high-tension overhead electric line and sustained critical burns.
His colleagues immediately rushed him to Sadar Hospital after the accident. However, given the severity of his condition, he was soon referred to Tata Main Hospital for further treatment.
Despite receiving medical care for several days, Manjhi could not survive. He passed away late on Saturday night, triggering immediate anger among his family and local residents.
On Sunday, a large number of people gathered at Tatanagar Station in protest. They staged a sit-in outside the GRP office at Platform No. 1 and raised slogans against the railway administration.
The protesters demanded a permanent job for one member of the deceased’s family, adequate financial compensation, and strict action against officials responsible for the lapse. In addition, they called for a high-level inquiry into the accident.
The family accused the railway administration of serious negligence in maintaining safety standards at the washing line area. They contended that adequate precautions had not been put in place for workers operating in such a sensitive zone. On the other hand, they maintained that the tragedy could have been averted had safety norms been properly followed.
Meanwhile, Manjhi’s body remains at TMH. His family has refused to give consent for the postmortem until the railway administration provides a concrete assurance on their demands.
The protest created a tense atmosphere at the station premises for some time. However, officials from the Railway Protection Force, the GRP and local administration reached the spot and attempted to pacify the agitating crowd.
The washing line area at Tatanagar station is a designated zone for coach maintenance and cleaning operations. Workers deployed in such areas are frequently exposed to overhead high-tension electric lines, raising persistent safety concerns among railway employees and contractors.
