A 13-year-old girl who suffered life-altering injuries after coming into contact with a high-tension electricity line in Greater Noida last April is now at the centre of a revived police probe, with officials of the state power corporation booked eight months after the accident. The FIR, registered this week at Dhanoura police station, follows persistent allegations by the victim’s family that they had repeatedly demanded the removal or realignment of the overhead line but no action was taken. Police have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, the alleged negligence, and whether timely intervention by authorities could have prevented the tragedy.
The girl, identified as Zara Khan, lost one hand and multiple toes after suffering severe burns when she accidentally touched the high-voltage line while on the terrace of a home in Achheja Buzurg village under the Dankaur jurisdiction. The case has renewed scrutiny of overhead power-line safety in residential clusters of Greater Noida, where locals have long raised concerns about dangerously low-hanging high-tension lines passing over rooftops.
Accident Details: Girl Severely Burned After Coming in Contact With Overhead Line
According to the police report and statements from the family, the incident occurred on 2 April this year, when Zara, a resident of Delhi, visited her maternal uncle Shah Mohammad in Achheja Buzurg village. During the visit, she went to the terrace of her maternal aunt’s neighbouring house to speak with relatives. The house is among several residential structures over which a high-tension line reportedly passes at a relatively low height.
While standing on the terrace, Zara is believed to have accidentally come within striking distance of the high-voltage line. The electric arc resulted in a severe electric shock, leading to extensive burn injuries. She was rushed to a medical facility, where doctors were able to save her life but were forced to amputate one of her hands and multiple toes due to the extent of tissue damage.
Residents told police that the line has long been a safety hazard and that the proximity of the wires to terraces and upper floors has been a matter of concern. They claim that despite several verbal and written appeals to the power corporation, no effort was made to shift, raise, or insulate the line. Police officials said they are gathering documentation and eyewitness accounts to establish whether any official negligence contributed to the incident.
Family members say Zara, once an active and cheerful teenager, continues to undergo medical treatment and rehabilitation. The incident has caused deep emotional and financial strain on the family, who allege that their repeated warnings to local authorities went unheard.
Case Filed After Delay; Police Begin Probe Into Alleged Negligence
According to officials at the Dhanoura police station, the case was registered only after the family filed a formal written complaint recently, detailing the events leading up to the accident and their prior communications with electricity department personnel. The eight-month delay in registering the FIR has raised questions, though police have said they acted immediately once a complaint was formally submitted.
The FIR names officials of the Uttar Pradesh power corporation responsible for the maintenance of the high-tension line passing through the village. The sections invoked pertain to negligence causing grievous injury. Investigators will examine whether the line was installed in violation of safety norms or whether periodic inspections were ignored. Authorities will also look into whether raising or redirecting the line was feasible but left unaddressed.
Police said preliminary findings indicate that the high-tension line indeed runs over several homes in Achheja Buzurg, a practice generally discouraged due to inherent danger. Whether the line’s height meets regulatory standards and whether corrective action was ever recommended will be central to the inquiry. Officials added that they will seek technical reports from the electricity corporation and may visit the site with engineers to determine compliance with safety codes.
Residents of the area claim that this is not the first time the line has caused anxiety, though Zara’s accident is the most severe incident reported in recent years. Several locals stated that they had earlier approached the electricity department with concerns, especially as more homes added extra floors or built terraces that now stand uncomfortably close to the overhead wires.
The power corporation has not issued a public statement yet, but sources indicate that the department is preparing an internal report. Officials are expected to cooperate with the police investigation.
As the investigation progresses, Zara’s family hopes that accountability will be established and that steps will be taken to ensure such an incident does not recur. Local residents, too, are urging authorities to immediately survey and redesign the high-tension network running through densely populated sections of Greater Noida. For now, the case stands as a stark reminder of the risks posed by poorly planned or inadequately maintained power infrastructure in residential zones.
