Illegal electric fence around farm claims lives of 2 children

Two children, aged four and twelve, were today killed after they came in contact with a wire fence around a farm through which electric current had been passed at Sartanpar in Talaja tehsil of Bhavnagar district.

The farm belonged to Gambhirbhai Baria who had illegally passed an electric current through the fence to keep the wild animals like 'neel gai' (blue bull) at bay, police said.

Kavita Gujaria (4) and Sanjay Gujaria (12) touched the fence of Baria's farm while they had gone to buy chocolates from his shop near his land. Both died on the spot after suffering an electric shock, police said.

A case under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was lodged against Baria.

Farmers in the area resort to electrifying their fences due to the menace of 'neel gai'. This is mostly done illegally, without permission of the electricity department.

Last Saturday a lioness was killed at Dedar in Khamba taluka of Amreli district after getting electrocuted in the same way.