In the latest incident involving electric scooters, a seven-year-old child died when the battery of an electric scooter exploded after overnight charging in Vasai, the police said.
The deceased was identified as Shabbir Ansari, and the incident reportedly occurred on September 23.
Shabbir, who was sleeping along with his grandmother in their house's living room, while his father Sharfraz was sleeping in the bedroom, reported the Times of India. Sharfraz kept the battery to charge in the living room at around 2.30 am. At 5.30 am, they were woken up by the sound of an explosion followed by a short circuit.
Although his grandmother escaped with light injuries, Shabbir suffered serious burn injuries. He was rushed to the hospital following the incident, but tragically succumbed to his injuries on September 30.
Electric scooters have come under scrutiny in India following a spate of mishaps. On September 13, a fire that started at an electric scooter showroom in Secunderabad killed at least eight people and injured 11.
In March, the government launched an investigation over safety concerns after a string of e-scooter fires, including one in which a man and his daughter died when their e-bike "went up in flames".
