CHENNAI: A Plus One student and two women died of electrocution in separate incidents in the City and neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts on Monday.
Of the 40 deaths due to electrocution since the onset of the North East monsoon in the state, the city alone accounted for 15. Lakshmi (56), of MGR Nagar 6th street, Vyasarpadi, died when she was taking her cow and its calf to a house-warming ceremony in the neighbourhood.
The woman stepped on a snapped power cable on the street near Golden Complex, at around 4 am. The body was moved to Government Stanley Hospital for post-mortem.
In the other incident reported in Kancheepuram, Mallika (55), of Thenpattinam hamlet, near Kalpakkam, who had gone out to purchase milk early in the morning was electrocuted.
In Gummidipoondi, a Class 11 student died after he stepped on a snapped high voltage cable near his residence in the afternoon. Police said, the victim, Balaji, died while his friend Guru Prakash was injured in the incident. The two, students of Government Boys Higher Secondary School, were returning home from the playground when the mishap occurred. Guru Prakash is being treated for the injuries.
Tamilisai Concerned
Calling for better electrical safety practices and immediate steps from the government, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday expressed serious concerns over the increasing number of electrocutions in various parts of the State.
Addressing a press conference here, Tamilisai said the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board failed to take precautionary measures during the rainy season, which led to loss of lives.