- Two men died by electrocution on an iron staircase in Surat amid rain
- Azam Alam was electrocuted first; neighbor Mohammad Salman died trying to help
- Locals cut power and rushed them to hospital, where both were declared dead
Two men died in Surat on Monday evening after being electrocuted amid continuous rain. 28-year-old Azam Alam Abdul Kamal, a daily wage labourer was climbing the iron staircase of his house when he was electrocuted.
Hearing his cries, 43-year-old neighbor Mohammad Salman Mohammad Irshad Sheikh rushed to save him. As soon as he touched Azam, the current ran through his body too.
Locals switched off the power supply and rushed both to hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
The death of two breadwinners within minutes plunged the area into mourning.
The incident happened at Sujatkhan Street near Rander Gaon Badi Masjid in Surat.
Sheikh Salauddin, nephew of Salman, held the landlord responsible. "We had complained many times about current in the staircase, walls and other parts of the house. Every time it was ignored. If the fault was fixed in time, both would be alive today," he said.
Salman's wife Chandni said her husband died trying to save a life. "He drove an auto-rickshaw and ran the entire family. We had told the landlord several times that there was current in the staircase. Now the future of our four small children is uncertain," she said.
Rander Police reached the spot and sent both bodies for post-mortem. Initial investigation points to death due to electrocution. Police are also probing negligence in the electrical system and why earlier complaints were not acted upon. Legal action will be taken if lapses are found.
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