An alleged attempt to dismantle and steal an 11,000-volt electricity transformer in Gaya’s Deoria village left one youth dead and another seriously injured late on Monday night, prompting a police investigation into the incident and the suspected theft plan.
The deceased was identified as Md Ghulam Ahmed Raza, a resident of Badi Khap village under Imamganj police station. His associate, Maqsud Khan of Bali Bathan village in Imamganj block, was injured and is undergoing treatment at Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital.
According to police, the two men were allegedly attempting to dismantle the transformer in the area under Kothi police station when the incident occurred. The transformer carried an 11,000-volt electricity supply, and the electric shock proved fatal for Raza.
After receiving information, a Kothi police team reached the site. Officers took the injured man to the hospital for treatment and sent the deceased’s body to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital for postmortem examination.
Imamganj Sub-Divisional Police Officer Dheeraj Kumar said the preliminary assessment indicated that the two youths were attempting to steal the transformer when the mishap occurred. “Prima facie, it appears that the two youths were attempting to steal the transformer when the mishap occurred. Further investigation is underway,” he said.
The police are investigating how the transformer was being dismantled and whether the two men had made arrangements to remove it from the site. Officers will also question the injured youth about whether a vehicle had been brought to transport the transformer after it was dismantled, the SDPO said.
The incident places the risks of unauthorised handling of high-voltage electricity equipment at the centre of the investigation. Transformers are critical links in local electricity distribution networks, and damage or removal can also affect power supply in the surrounding area. Police have not yet disclosed whether anyone else was involved or whether the transformer had been targeted as part of a wider theft operation.
The injured man’s statement is expected to help investigators establish the sequence of events, identify the intended method of transport and determine whether further arrests or charges will follow. The investigation remains underway.
