Teen chasing kite electrocuted after climbing goods train at Nagpur station, critical

A teenage boy suffered a severe electric shock after coming in contact with live overhead electric equipment (OHE) while trying to retrieve a kite after climbing atop a stationary goods train at Kamptee railway station in Nagpur district, police said on Monday. His condition is critical.

The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when the boy, identified as Lucky, was chasing a kite that had fallen on a coal-laden goods train. Despite warnings from an on-duty Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan, he climbed onto the train coach. The kite string was reportedly entangled in the live OHE carrying 11,000 volts, and while attempting to pull it, the teenager came dangerously close to the electric line and received a powerful shock, officials said.

Railway authorities said such incidents commonly occur when people attempt to retrieve kites using iron rods or other metal objects , try to pull strings or wires that are directly in contact with live overhead lines , or climb train coaches, trees, or low boundary walls near railway tracks , unknowingly entering the high-voltage danger zone. Due to the high voltage, electricity can arc through the air even without direct contact, leading to serious or fatal injuries.

Railway staff immediately switched off the power supply and, along with RPF personnel, rescued the boy and rushed him to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he is undergoing treatment, officials said.