New Delhi: While on his way to offer the evening <i>namaz</i> (prayer) at the nearby mosque with a friend, 61-year-old Khan was crushed under an electric pole that keeled over when a passing truck got entangled in its wires. Three others were injured in the incident.
"Around 5.30 pm on Sunday, Khan and I were on our way to the <i>masjid</i> when an overloaded mini truck passed by. Some of the goods on the truck got entangled with the overhead wire that was connected to an electric pole. The driver without realising the situation, continued on his way. As a result, the overheard wires got stretched along with the truck and one after the other, two connected electric poles were uprooted and one of them fell on Khan's head. He died on the spot," said Kamrauddin, Khan's friend.
"The electricity poles were not strong enough and couldn't sustain the pull. These loose wires are spread across the area and that is the reason why such accidents happen frequently," said Rukhsana, a local resident.
The police have registered a case of negligence and investigations are on. The driver of the mini truck has been detained. The body of Sukka Khan has been sent for a post-mortem examination.