Youth electrocuted, locals ransack SEB office, vehicle

A vehicle was set on fire and a state electricity board office ransacked today after a youth got electrocuted while allegedly stealing power in Diamond Harbour area of South 24 Parganas district, police said.
The youth was electrocuted when he panicked seeing an approaching state electricity board (SEB) vehicle in the area, a police officer said.
Local residents, however, alleged that the youth died when an electric cable fell on him.
The irate villagers blocked the National Highway-117, ransacked the local SEB office and set one of its vehicles on fire, the officer said.
West Bengal Power Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said the SEB board was not conducting any anti-hooking drive in the area and it had nothing to do with the electrocution of the youth.