3-yr-old girl electrocuted, 2 injured at brick kiln

A three-year-old girl was killed and two others including a five-year-old girl were injured when they accidentally came in contact with a live wire while playing at a brick kiln in Vishwanathapura at the outskirts of the city on Friday.

The deceased Poonam, was the only daughter of Trikam Manjhi (26) from Chhattisgarh, a labourer at the kiln, the police said.

According to the police, Manjhi and his wife Koushalya had come to work in the kiln two months ago and were living in a shed at the factory.

On Friday, while the couple was busy making bricks, Poonam and another girl Parmila (5), were playing inside the factory.

The duo accidentally tripped on the electric wire which was drawn from a nearby electric pole to connect to the borewell. Poonam was electrocuted while Parimala sustained injuries. Gambhir, a labourer, working nearby, heard their screams and rushed to rescue them but he sustained electric shocks.

The other labourers then managed to switch off the power and rushed the trio to a nearby government hospital where Poonam succumbed to her injuries while Parmila and Gambhir were being treated at a private hospital. Based on Manjhi's complaint, the Rajankunte police registered an FIR against Ganesh, the owner of the kiln and Girish, the manager.