Handwara,Jun,12:A tragic incident on Thursday morning in Khunbal A Ward No. 1 of Handwara has left a local family devastated after their cow died of electrocution near a roadside transformer. The incident has sparked widespread anger among local residents, who have blamed the Power Development Department (PDD) for negligence and demanded immediate corrective measures.
According to Wali Mohammad Sheikh, the owner of the cow and a daily wage labourer, the mishap occurred around 9 AM while he had taken his cow out for grazing. Shortly after, he was informed that a cow had been electrocuted near a transformer in the locality. On reaching the spot, he was heartbroken to find it was his own animal.
“The transformer has been installed on the ground for years without any safety base or fencing. It poses a constant danger to both human lives and livestock. We have informed the PDD about this several times, but no one paid heed to our concerns,” Wali Mohammad alleged.
Holding back tears, he added, “This cow was not just an animal — it was the sole source of livelihood for my family. We survived on the income from selling its milk. Now, I don’t know how I’ll feed my children.”
Upon receiving information about the incident, police and PDD officials arrived at the scene and removed the electrocuted animal. Preliminary inquiries were conducted, but no immediate relief or formal explanation was provided to the affected family.
When approached for comment, the PDD’s Executive Engineer declined to respond, citing an ongoing meeting.
Meanwhile, local residents expressed strong resentment over what they described as persistent official apathy. “This transformer has been a hazard for years. Despite repeated complaints, no safety measures were put in place. Today it’s a cow, tomorrow it could be a human being,” a resident said angrily.
In its defence, Concern PDD inspector claimed that the land on which the transformer is installed is disputed as per revenue records and is owned by a migrant Pandit family. “We have repeatedly requested the locals to arrange a few square feet of alternative land so that the 250 KV transformer can be shifted and properly secured, but unfortunately, there was no cooperation,” a PDD official stated.
The incident has reignited local demands for immediate relocation of unsafe transformers in the area and a resolution of land disputes hindering infrastructure safety upgrades. Civil society members and local leaders have urged authorities to prevent such tragedies by securing public utility installations and addressing long-pending grievances.
“Safety cannot be compromised over procedural disputes. The administration must intervene, resolve the issue, and ensure that such fatal accidents don’t happen again,” said a local activist.
As the affected family mourns the loss of their animal and livelihood, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the cost of administrative negligence and unresolved local disputes in vulnerable rural areas.
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