Kupwara, Aug 12 :A casual labourer of Power Development Department succumbed to his injuries after receiving a high voltage electric shock in Gutlipora in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday evening, official sources said.

Identifying the labourer as one Mohammad Ashraf Hajam, a resident of Gutlipora received the shock while repairing electrical wiring, leaving him critically injured.

The labourer was taken to SDH Kupwara in an unconscious condition where the doctor however declared him as brought dead on arrival, they said.

A police official confirming the incident told that a case under relevant sections of law has been registered for further investigations.

Following the tragic incident, locals in the area gathered to protest over the alleged negligence of Power Development Department and demanded that an enquiry be initiated into the incident. “This is a sheer negligence on behalf of the PDD officials leading to the death of the labourer”, they said adding “We urge the top authorities to initiate an impartial enquiry into the incident to bring out the truth.”

Meanwhile a PDD official said that the department will see under what circumstances the incident occurred. “We urge the people to give us some time till we know the facts of the occurrence”, the official said.

(GNS)