Tragic Death of Disabled Teacher Following E-Tricycle Battery Explosion in Madhya Pradesh

A disabled teacher, Sunil Kumar Lokhande, died after the battery of his e-tricycle exploded in Madhya Pradesh. Eyewitnesses reported attempts to extinguish the flames were unsuccessful. An investigation is ongoing.

A tragic incident unfolded in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district when a 30-year-old disabled teacher, Sunil Kumar Lokhande, was killed after the battery of his government-provided e-tricycle exploded. The unfortunate event took place near Jai Stambh Chowk in Sarni town, approximately 60 km from the district headquarters, on Friday.

Sunil, who was also known as Guddu, earned his living by conducting private tuition classes. According to Sarni police station house officer A K Parteti, the explosion of the e-tricycle's battery led to a fire that claimed Sunil's life. Eyewitnesses reported that a shopkeeper attempted to extinguish the flames with water, but the fire had already intensified beyond control.

Battery Explosion and Fire

The battery-operated tricycle was given to Sunil about two and a half years ago under the Chief Minister's Divyangjan Empowerment Scheme. The local municipal body provided it, and it had not exhibited any issues before this incident, as per police reports. Following the tragedy, Sunil's body was sent for a post-mortem examination, and an investigation was initiated.

Sunil's brother Rajesh shared that Sunil faced significant challenges during his engineering studies due to a medical condition. The fluid in his joints dried up over time, severely restricting his mobility. This condition left him disabled around 15 years ago. Rajesh also mentioned that Sunil was unmarried.

Community Shocked by Tragedy

The local community is in shock over the incident. The sudden loss of Sunil has raised concerns about the safety of battery-operated vehicles provided under government schemes. Authorities are now investigating the cause of the battery explosion to prevent such incidents in the future.

The tragic death of Sunil highlights the need for stringent safety checks on electric vehicles distributed under government programmes. Ensuring these vehicles are safe for use is crucial to prevent similar tragedies from occurring again.

With inputs from PTI