CHENNAI: A 32-year-old woman doctor who was undergoing training at the Institute of Mental Health in Chennai is suspected to have died of electrocution at her hostel room in Ayanavaram on Sunday night due to a faulty cable while charging her laptop.
The issue came to light after her husband’s call to her phone went unanswered. Hostel authorities who checked her room based on her husband’s request found her unconscious in the room. She was immediately rushed to the Kilpauk government hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. An inquiry is under way.
According to the Ayanavaram police, Dr U Saranidhi was a native of Namakkal district and had completed her MD in Psychiatry at Coimbatore medical college. She was living in Coimbatore with her husband Dr Udhayakumar and their five-year old child. Udhyakumar works at Coimbatore ESI hospital. Saranidhi had come to Chennai on May 1 to attend a 25-day training course at the Institute of Mental Health in Kilpauk.
‘Laptop charging cable was damaged’
She was staying at a private hostel in Ayanavaram. A police source said, “On Sunday, Udhayakumar tried to contact Saranidhi but his calls were not answered. After trying for some time, Udhayakumar contacted the hostel staff. When a staff member went and checked on her, she was found lying unconscious on the floor. The staff immediately alerted the Ayanavaram police.”
The police went to the spot and entered Saranidhi’s room. She was seen lying next to the charging cable of her laptop which was connected to an extension box. Her mobile phone, her laptop, and an air cooler were connected to the extension box.
Saranidhi was immediately rushed to Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital where she was declared brought dead. Her body was then sent for postmortem. The police have registered a case under Section 174 (unnatural death) of IPC and an inquiry is on.
“We checked Saranidhi’s laptop charging cable and it was found to be slightly damaged. We suspect that she may have got electrocuted while charging her laptop. There were also burn injuries in her palm which indicated possible electrocution,” a senior police officer said.