Man electrocuted while attempting power line theft in Rajshahi

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A 35-year-old man died from electrocution while attempting to detach electrical lines from a utility pole in Bagha, Rajshahi, leaving his body suspended overnight above a field in the Hamidukura area. Local residents discovered the grim scene Friday morning when a passerby went to harvest vegetables and spotted the victim, identified as Mamun Pramanik, tangled against the utility infrastructure.

Emergency responders from the Bagha Fire Service arrived at the scene around 8:30 a.m. to recover the body, which had been tethered to the pole with a cloth strap. According to eyewitness accounts, the victim had apparently prepared for the task by bringing a bamboo pole to assist in dismantling nearby transformers. Authorities noted that Pramanik had successfully severed one electrical wire before being struck by a lethal current while attempting to cut a second line. His hands showed visible signs of severe burns consistent with high-voltage contact.

Pramanik, a resident of the Gochar neighborhood in Arani, reportedly had a history of criminal activity. His brother-in-law, Sohrab Hossain, stated that the family does not intend to pursue legal claims, acknowledging the victim’s long-standing reputation for theft. The victim’s wife, Shahanaj Begum, recounted that her husband had left home under the pretext of traveling for work, even securing money from her before the fatal incident. She noted that their final communication occurred Thursday afternoon, during which he claimed to be feeling unwell and expressed an intent to return to his village.

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Investigating officers found various tools and iron rods discarded at the base of the pole, suggesting the incident was a premeditated attempt to steal electrical equipment. Police have since opened a case of unnatural death. The body has been transferred to the morgue for a mandatory post-mortem examination as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death continues.