CHENNAI: A 33-year-old worker, involved in erecting metal poles on the median on Chennai’s East Coast Road, was electrocuted as a pole he was holding came in contact with live overhead cables on Monday.
The deceased was identified as Thyagarajan (33) of Navalur in Chengalpattu district. He is said to have been engaged, along with a few other workers, by political party cadres to erect the poles with their party flag. It is learnt that the cadres had sought to erect poles with the party flag to greet the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister during his visit to flood-affected areas in Chennai’s suburbs.
Police said the incident occurred at around 10 am. Thyagarajan died on the spot. On being informed of the incident, Kanathur police retrieved his body and sent it for post-mortem examination. The poles were also removed. A case has been registered.
When contacted, a police official said that they are investigating who engaged Thyagarajan to erect poles on the median. "After they are traced, a case will be registered for further investigation," added the official.
It may be recalled that a woman techie died after a banner fell on her two-wheeler from the median on Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam radial road in September last year. The woman had lost balance when the banner fell, and toppled onto the road and was run over by a tanker lorry.