Man dies taking call on charging mobile

Mumbai: In a warning to all mobile phone users, a 28-year-old on Thursday died of an electric shock while speaking on his mobile phone which was in charging mode. The victim, identified as Tappan Goswami, was rushed to civic-run Bhabha hospital but was declared dead.

A florist working with a Bandra-based boutique, Goswami had come to Mumbai just a few days ago to prepare flower garlands and decorations used to adorn idols and pandals during the ten-day Ganpati festival. A native of West Bengal, he was staying with two other roommates in a slum at Shastri Nagar, Bandra west.

A police officer attached to Bandra police station said, “Goswami was lying unconscious on the ground with his mobile phone next to him when a friend identified as Sanjay happened to visit him. Seeing Goswami motionless, he raised an alarm and the neighbours rushed to the spot. Goswami was rushed to Bhabha hospital.”

Dr Pradeep Jadhav, medical superintendent, Bhabha hospital, said, “The man died of an electric shock. We referred his body for autopsy and will submit the report to Bandra police station for further investigation.”

In the course of the investigation, it emerged that Goswami had died of an electric shock when answering a call on his mobile phone that was charging. The police suspects that rainwater may have seeped into the electrical switchboard that was used for charging. An accidental death report has been registered. The police is awaiting the post-mortem report.