Begusarai: A Class 8 student died and two other children were injured in Begusarai, Bihar, after an iron flagpole reportedly came into contact with an overhead 11kV high-tension line while the Tricolour was being lowered at an upgraded middle school on Friday evening, officials said.
The incident occurred between 5:00–5:30 pm at Ward 27’s Paharchak Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya, where Independence Day celebrations had concluded and the flag was being taken down, according to local accounts. As volunteers attempted to remove the pole, it apparently touched the live wire passing above the school premises, fatally electrocuting Ayush Kumar, a Class 8 student who sustained severe burns and died on the spot. Two other children suffered electric shock injuries and were admitted to a private clinic in Begusarai.
Residents alleged negligence by the electricity department, saying repeated requests to reroute the high-voltage line from above the school had gone unheeded. The victim, Ayush, was the only child of his parents; his father works as a daily wage labourer.
Police from Mufassil station reached the site, sent the body for post-mortem to the Sadar Hospital, and initiated further legal formalities. Senior administrative officials also inspected the scene. The District Magistrate (DM) and District Education Officer (DEO) have sought an inquiry report into the circumstances of the accident and the status of prior complaints about the overhead line.
