From correspondents in Uttar Pradesh, India, 05:00 PM IST

A villager in Arsena village in Uttar Pradesh, grazing cattle, was electrocuted when he touched a high-tension wire lying across the field. The agitated villagers blocked traffic for hours, demanding compensation for the family of the deceased.

Karuna Pehalwan, 35, was grazing his cattle Sunday when he mistakenly touched the wire that had snapped and lay across teh field, accoding to the police. Karuna was a well-known wrestler of the area and had won many awards in the Safai Dangal, an event promoted by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Police forces from several stations had to be called to pacify the villagers who blocked the traffic on the national highway for several hours, protesting the accidental death and demanding compensation to the wresteler's family.

The blockade ended only when Dakshinanchal Power Supply Distribution Corporation managing director Kripal Singh announced a compensation of Rs.170,000 for the family of the victim.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)