Delhi University assistant professor dies of electrocution in waterlogged house

Vikas Tyagi, a Delhi University (DU) assistant professor who had come home to Moradabad during the lockdown, was electrocuted after rainwater entered his house in the city on Saturday night. According to the family, Tyagi, 37, came in contact with a live wire and died on the spot. Tyagi was an assistant professor in the Department of Physics, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, DU, and is survived by his wife, a 12-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son. The family that lives in Dwarka's sector 2 and had come down to their ancestral house in Moradabad during the lockdown.

The incident occurred when Vikas was trying to disconnect an inverter kept on the ground floor where rainwater had accumulated following heavy rainfall. He collapsed on the spot and was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Vikas's cousin Hemant said, "The entire Buddhi Vihar colony remains waterlogged during the monsoon and rainwater enters our houses. Despite repeated complaints to the civic authorities, nothing was done to address the issue. If they had acted in time, my cousin would not have died."

Soon after the incident as angry neighbours gathered on the spot alleging the civic body's high-handedness. The municipal officials swung into action and deputed workers to drain out rainwater from the deceased's house and the other parts of the colony.