13 Indians Electrocuted in Rescue

Thirteen villagers, including four children, were electrocuted Monday as they tried to rescue a truck driver, whose vehicle smashed into a utility pole.

The driver was also killed, and a 15th person was taken to the hospital with severe burns and was not expected to survive.

The people were fatally shocked when a high tension power line came into contact with the truck and sent a surge of electricity through the vehicle, witnesses said.

The truck crashed near Sampatchak, about six miles east of Patna, the capital of Bihar.

Shyam Rajak, the state's power minister, ordered a criminal investigation of the staff of the local power substation, saying there appeared to be a case of negligence in allowing the power to surge through the wire.

Two transmission operators were detained, said Senior Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar.
















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