CHENNAI: An elderly couple died of electrocution after getting entangled in an electric fence that was set up along the field that the couple owned near Kancheepuram on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as N Kanniyappan (75), a farmer, and his wife K Rani (68) of Vishar village in Kancheepuram taluk. They are survived by five sons and two daughters. Police said the couple had earlier distributed their land among their children and retained about 35-50 cents of land located around 2km from their residence, where they cultivated banana groves.
Sources said the couple used to regularly visit the field to check for damage caused by wild boar and managed the land independently.
On Saturday evening, the couple went to the field as part of their routine to monitor the land, but did not return home. Their sons searched for them through the night, and on Sunday morning, a complaint was lodged at the Baluchettychatram police station.
Based on the complaint, police traced the couple to their banana grove, where they were found dead, entangled in an electric fence. The bodies were sent to the Kanchipuram Government Hospital for postmortem, and a case was registered under Section 174 of the BNS.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the fence may have been set up illegally by drawing power from a nearby three-phase pump set connection, to ward off wild boars. Police suspect the couple died after coming into contact with the live wire. Further investigation is under way to identify those responsible for installing the fence.