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| Photo Credit: V RAJU
The Bhopal Police have launched an investigation into the death of a 13-year-old boy, days after he died while dancing allegedly due to the loud sound of a disco jockey (DJ) in Madhya Pradesh’s capital city, Additional Commissioner of Police Awadesh Kumar Goswami said on Friday (October 18, 2024).
The alleged incident took place on October 14 during a procession of ‘Durga moorti visarjan (idol immersion)’ which was passing by his house in Bhopal’s TT Nagar area. The boy, Samar Billore, had collapsed while dancing to the DJ music and later died in a hospital due to heart failure, which his parents have alleged was caused by the loudspeaker sound.
According to local reports, the boy’s family has said that he had a heart condition and also alleged that the operators did not lower the volume despite his mother’s requests after he had collapsed.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Goswami said the police was only informed about the incident on Thursday and a written complaint was received on Friday.
“We have launched a probe into the matter now but the boy was cremated without a post-mortem or a medical examination. This has made it difficult for the police to gather important evidence,” he said, adding that the officials have got in touch with the hospital where the boy was treated.
“We have sought the boy’s medical details from the hospital for any insight into the cause of death. We are also collecting circumstantial evidence like CCTV footages and eye witnesses and will take action based on that,” Mr. Goswami said.
He vowed to take strict action against the DJs who violate the sound limit regulations if a link is established in the boy’s death and loud music.
State Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had, in his first Cabinet meeting in December last year, imposed a ban on the use of loudspeakers beyond permissible limits and time at all religious and public places, as per the Supreme Court guidelines.
Following some implementation in the initial months, DJ loudspeakers and sound amplifiers are seen flouting the limits frequently across the State, especially during the festive season, despite action from the police and administration.
The Bhopal Police has already booked more than 90 DJ operators in the city during the ongoing festive season.
Earlier in August, after the death of nine children due to the collapse of a wall of a dilapidated house during a religious event next door in Sagar district, the locals had suspected that the DJ operator playing loud music may have added to the damage caused by incessant rains. The police had inquired about the angle but did not find any substantial evidence to back the locals’ claim.
Published – October 18, 2024 11:06 pm IST
