CHENNAI: A 66-year-old machine operator, who was waiting at a bus stop near Thiruninravur flyover, died of electrocution after an 11-kV high-tension line fell on his leg around 8.30 am on Saturday.
The victim — Kannaiyan, a native of Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district — had been working at a masala manufacturing firm near Thiruninravur for the past two years, earning around Rs 20,000 a month. He lived in Nazarathpet and commuted by bus.
Police sources said that as Kannaiyan was standing with an umbrella at the unsheltered bus stop, next to a police booth and a railway bridge, the live wire fell on his leg. He suffered a severe electric shock and collapsed. Bystanders alerted the electricity board and police, but the victim could not be rescued immediately as the power supply remained active. The line later tripped, by which time Kannaiyan had died.
A senior TNPDCL official said the line had fallen on him before it tripped, resulting in his immediate death. The official said, “A probe is on to ascertain whether the circuit breaker in the substation was functioning properly during the time of the incident.”
The TNPDCL official added that much of the utility’s 2.11 lakh kilometres of HT power lines is ageing. “We have been gradually replacing ageing power lines. However, this incident occurred during rain,” the official said.
Assistant Engineer Krishnamoorthy of the Thiruninravur electricity board told TNIE that the 11-kV pin insulator had failed, displacing the aluminium conductor, which struck the concrete edge of a nearby railway bridge before falling on Kannaiyan.
“Insulator failure is a rare occurrence. The heavy rain on Friday could have contributed to the incident. We have rectified the cable fault,” he said. Kannaiyan is survived by a son and a daughter. His son, K Vijay (40), alleged that the accident could have been prevented through proper inspection and maintenance of the power infrastructure.
He said, “This is laziness on the part of the TNEB. They should have checked the power pole before the heavy rain on Friday. The bus stop is frequently used by many people, including children. What if children had been there at that time? The government should take necessary action against the officials responsible.” Thiruninravur police registered a case.