CHENNAI: Just 25 feet away from their house in West Moggappair, a couple returning home after one of them completed election duty was electrocuted. A live wire had snapped and fallen on the flooded ground.
The dead were identified as Govindan (65) who supplied drinking water, and his wife Nalini Govindan (53), a railway employee. On Monday, Govindan had gone to Thiruttani to bring his wife back after her poll duty.
According to police officials, the incident happened around 12.45am as they stepped on the flooded street leading to their house. Both died on the spot.
A local resident saw the bodies around 3 am and alerted the police who came and sent the bodies to Kilpauk Medical College for autopsy. “I got a call from dad’s number where the inspector informed me about the incident,” said Saraswathi, daughter of the couple.
“I have made complaints repeatedly to the EB about faulty wires and frequent power cuts on the street, but so nothing was done to set it right. Thrice a week at least I called the EB officials to complain about frequent power cuts. On Monday, from 10.30pm there were frequent power cuts. Assuming it to be because of rain, I did not call the department,” said K Jagdeshwari, daughter-in-law who lived with the couple.
“My father-in-law had left home at around 3pm to bring my mother-in-law from Thiruttani after her election duty. We were shocked to find their bodies so close to our house,” she added.
My father-in-law left home to bring my mother-in-law after her poll duty. We were shocked to see their bodies so close by K Jagdeshwari, daughter-in-law