Tumakuru (Karnataka), May 6
In a tragic incident, a five-year-old boy playing outside his house died of electrocution in Tumakuru district of Karnataka on Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Poshaka Shetty, son of Chandraiah, a resident of Goraghatta village near Turuvekere town.
According to the police, an electric wire had snapped and fallen over the fence in front of the house. While playing outside in the morning, Poshaka accidentally touched the fence and was electrocuted. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
Local residents have expressed outrage against the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), alleging negligence and holding the company's officials responsible for the boy's death.
The Dandinashivara police have registered a case and taken up an investigation.
Earlier, locals took to the streets and blocked the arterial road in the Chamarajpet locality of Bengaluru on March 13 after the death of a woman due to electrocution while switching on a motor to draw water.
The deceased, identified as Selvi, was electrocuted at around 5.30 a.m. Despite the area being located close to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) headquarters, houses allegedly do not have direct water connections. Instead, pipes are connected to the main water supply line, and motors are installed to pump water. Residents must manually switch on the motor to access water. While switching on the motor to fetch water, Selvi got electrocuted and died.
On June 27, 2024, in a tragic incident, two auto drivers died of electrocution in Mangaluru city of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. The deceased were identified as Devaraj Gowda, a resident of Uppinangady, and Raju, a resident of Hassan.
According to police, the incident took place when one of the auto drivers was washing his auto behind Rosario School, and a live electric wire fell on him. Another driver, who was at the spot, tried to rescue him but also got electrocuted, and both died on the spot.
In a heart wrenching incident, Soundarya, 23, and her nine-month-old baby, Suvikasha, were burnt alive after stepping on a snapped electric wire while walking on the footpath near Hope Farm Junction on Whitefield Main Road, located 100 meters from the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) office on November 19, 2023 in Bengaluru.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is heartbreaking! How many more lives must we lose before BESCOM takes responsibility? Our children aren't safe even in their own homes. The government must take strict action against such negligence. 😔
As a mother, this news made me cry. That poor child was just playing outside his house! BESCOM officials should be held personally accountable. We pay our electricity bills on time, don't we deserve basic safety?
This isn't just one incident - the article mentions multiple electrocution deaths in Karnataka. Clearly there's systemic failure in maintenance. Maybe we need a complete overhaul of our electrical infrastructure.
While BESCOM is definitely at fault, we also need better public awareness about electrical hazards. In my colony, people casually tie clothes to electric poles! Safety education should start in schools.
The auto drivers who died trying to save each other shows the spirit of Karnataka people. But why must common citizens pay with their lives for government negligence? Enough is enough!
My heart goes out to all the families. But protests alone won't solve this. We need proper compensation for victims' families and criminal charges against responsible officials. Only then will things change.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.