1 2026:CGHC:9963-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPPIL No. 84 of 2025 1 - In The Matter Of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation Based On News Item Publised In Window On Chhattisgarh, The Hitvada, Dated 13th September 2025, Namely, Child Dies At Anganwadi Centre After Electrocution And Child Dies Of Electrocution ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Chief Secretary, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur Chhattisgarh. 2 - Chairman And Secretary Energy Department State Of Chhattisgarh Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur Chhattisgarh. 3 - Managing Director Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Ltd. Vidyut Sewa Bhawan, Dagania Raipur (Chhattisgarh) 492013 4 - Collector Pendra, Gaurella, Marwahi District -Pendra, Gaurella, Marwahi Chhattisgarh. 5 - Collector Kondagaon, District - Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh. 6 - Superintendent Of Police Pendra, Gaurella, Marwahi District - Pendra, Gaurella, Marwahi Chhattisgarh. ALOK SHARMA Digitally signed by ALOK SHARMA Date: 2026.02.27 10:44:16 +0530 2 7 - Superintendent Of Police Kondagaon, District -Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh. 8 - Superintending/executive Engineer Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Ltd., District -Pendra, Gaurella, Marwahi Chhattisgarh. 9 - Superintending/executive Engineer Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Ltd., District - Kondagaon Chhattisgarh. ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : None For State/Respondent No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. : Mr. Shashank Thakur, Addl. Advocate General. For Respondent No. 3, 8 and 9 : Mr. Mayank Chandrakar, Advocate. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge Order on Board Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice 26/02/2026 1. This is an office reference. 2. This suo motu Public Interest Litigation was registered on the basis of news reports published in the English daily, The Hitavada – Window on Chhattisgarh, dated 13.09.2025, under the headings (i) “Child Dies at Anganwadi Centre after Electrocution” and (ii) “Child Dies of Electrocution.” 3 3. The first news item related to District Kondagaon, wherein a 2½- year-old child, Maheshwari Yadav, died after coming into contact with a live wire inside the local Anganwadi Centre. The child, who was playing inside the Centre, collapsed immediately after receiving a severe electric shock and succumbed to the injuries on the spot. The news report further stated that administrative action had been taken by the District Collector; the Anganwadi Worker and the Assistant were dismissed from service, and the Supervisor of Sector Mardapal-2 was placed under suspension for failure of supervision. It was also reported that repeated complaints made to the concerned authorities regarding exposed wires, damaged switches, and unsafe electrical fittings in the Anganwadi Centre had remained unaddressed. 4. The second news item also related to the electrocution of a six- year-old child, who died after coming into contact with an electric wire in a field near his home in Village Kargikala, falling under Marwahi Police Station, District Gourela-Pendra-Marwahi. It was reported that the field owner had connected a direct supply current to the fencing, instead of installing a shock-based electric fence, in order to protect his crops from cattle. Owing to such negligence, the child lost his life. The child was stated to be playing near the field with other children when he accidentally touched the live wire and died on the spot. The Marwahi Police had registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and investigation had been commenced. 5. The aforesaid news report depicted a very sorry state of affairs 4 prevailing in Anganwadi Centres and rural areas. The Anganwadi Centres were meant exclusively for children, and parents left their wards there with hope and trust that the Anganwadi Workers and Assistants would take proper care of them. 6. This Court observes with serious concern that incidents of electrocution, caused by unauthorized live electric connections to field fencing for protection of crops and by immersion of live wires in water bodies for illegal fishing, are being reported with alarming frequency, resulting in loss of human lives, cattle, and wild animals. It is further noted that in many such cases, no warning signs are displayed and, during the rainy season, flooding leads to electrification of surrounding areas, thereby posing grave and unforeseen danger to the public. Although certain departmental and penal actions have been initiated in the reported incidents, this Court is of the considered view that isolated action would not suffice. The State is required to formulate and place on record a comprehensive roadmap outlining effective preventive measures to ensure that no human or animal life is endangered due to electrocution, whether in government premises or agricultural fields. 7. Accordingly, the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, was directed to file a personal affidavit indicating the action taken in the said incidents, the preventive measures proposed to avoid recurrence of such incidents, and the details of compensation provided to the bereaved family members of the deceased children. Pursuant thereto, the Chief Secretary filed his affidavit on 20.09.2025, and stated that in the incident at the Anganbadi Centre, Village Padeli, District 5 Kondagaon, an enquiry by the Assistant Electrical Inspector revealed that a damaged power supply line caused electrification of the channel gate, resulting in the death of the minor child. Departmental action was taken against the concerned Anganbadi staff, statewide safety directions were issued for inspection of electrical installations in all centres, and an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- was granted to the bereaved family. 8. In the second incident at Village Kargikala, District Gorella- Pendra-Marwahi, it was found that the landowner had illegally used a jerk machine connected to wired fencing, leading to the child’s death, and an FIR under Section 105 of the BNS was registered. The power distribution company has issued multiple directions and memos to prevent such accidents, including inspections and action against illegal connections, and an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 4,00,000/- has been sanctioned to the mother of the deceased child. 9. Upon consideration of the affidavit placed on record, this Court notes that the State authorities have conducted enquiries in both incidents and have taken consequential departmental and penal action against the persons found responsible. It further transpires that statewide directions have been issued to ensure inspection of electrical installations, to curb unauthorized and illegal use of electricity, and to implement preventive measures so that such unfortunate incidents do not recur in future. 10. On a pointed query being put to the learned counsel appearing for 6 the respective respondents regarding the payment of compensation and necessary assistance to the victims’ families, they submitted that the amounts sanctioned had already been disbursed to them. It was further submitted that no subsequent incident of a similar nature has been brought to the notice of this Court after the subject incidents, on account of which the present petition had been kept under monitoring. 11. In view of the above submission made by learned Addl. Advocate General, no further direction is required to be passed by this Court and as such, this case is consigned to records. Sd/- Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice Alok