CHENNAI: An 18-year-old youth, who had gone to a stormwater drain worksite in Pammal near Pallavaram to give food to his elder brother, was electrocuted after he allegedly stepped on a damaged electrical cable at the site on Saturday.
The deceased, Dev Gulatar of West Bengal, had arrived in Chennai only a week ago. His elder brother, Goyal (26), works at the site on Selva Vinayagar Koil Street, where stormwater drain construction by a private contractor has been under way for the past few days, Shankar Nagar police said.
Dev reached the site around 3 pm and handed over the food to his brother, following which he accidently stepped on a cable connected to a road-drilling machine. Police suspect that the cable had been damaged, resulting in his electrocution. “We are not sure whether he was trying to help with the work or was merely walking around the site when he stepped on the damaged cable,” a police officer said.
Other workers rushed Dev to the government hospital in Chromepet, where doctors declared him brought dead. Shankar Nagar police sent the body for postmortem examination and registered a case under BNSS section 194 (unnatural or suspicious death).
Police are examining whether the cable was properly insulated, and whether adequate safety measures were in place at the worksite. The contractor and the mason involved in the work are also being questioned.
A senior police officer said Dev’s brother had not alleged negligence in his complaint as the contracting company had assured the family of compensation, even though Dev was not employed by the firm. Police, however, are continuing to inquire into the circumstances that led to the electrocution.
