A pall of gloom descended upon a village in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India, as Manwar Hossain, a 62-year-old schoolteacher, died of electrocution while preparing to hoist the national flag on Independence Day, August 15, 2025. The tragic incident occurred in Mallickpore, under the Haroa police station jurisdiction.
Hossain, a resident of Jhikra village in Bakjuri gram panchayat, was a teacher at a private school in Mallickpore. According to sources, at approximately 7 a.m. on Friday, Hossain was setting up a flagpole made of iron to hoist the Tricolour in front of the school for the Independence Day celebrations. While he was working, one end of the iron pole inadvertently came into contact with a high-tension overhead electric cable.
The sudden electrocution instantly took Hossain's life. Villagers who witnessed the incident rushed him to Haroa Rural Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. The body was then sent to Basirhat Police District Hospital for an autopsy. Police have started an investigation into the incident, and have sent the body for post-mortem. An official stated that an investigation is underway regarding the teacher's death and they have filed a case concerning unnatural death. The police will be able to provide specific details regarding the death after the post-mortem report is received.
News of Hossain's death spread rapidly, plunging the locality into mourning. The Independence Day celebrations at the school were immediately called off. Colleagues, students, and parents were in shock and disbelief over the sudden and tragic loss of the dedicated teacher.
According to his brother, Arabul Islam, Hossain had left home around 6 a.m. to install the flagpole. A villager mentioned that Hossain had planned a grand celebration for Independence Day. Residents remembered Hossain as a man deeply committed to patriotic celebrations at the school and was always enthusiastic about Independence day events. They said he would take the initiative to organize everything and involve everyone in the festivities.
The tragic death serves as a reminder of the dangers of working near high-voltage electrical lines and the importance of taking necessary safety precautions.
