Three arrested over Chamoli electrocution

Three days after 15 people were electrocuted at a sewage treatment plant of the Namami Gange project in Chamoli district, where they were protesting the death of an operator-cum-caretaker also due to electrocution, the Chamoli police on Saturday arrested three people in connection with the deaths.

Those arrested are Pawan Chamola, supervisor of the joint venture company handling the operation and maintenance of the plant; Mahendra Singh, a lineman at the Uttarakhand Power Department; and Hardev Lal Arya, additional assistant engineer of the Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan.

The body of the operator, Ganesh, was found on Wednesday at around 9.30 am. Later, around 11.35 am, when a group of local residents were protesting the death, 26 people including local residents, police, and Jal Sansthan officials came into contact with a live hand-railing, killing 15 people.