KURNOOL: A boy on his way to school narrowly escaped death after an electric pole collapsed onto the road in Kurnool’s Ashok Nagar on Tuesday morning, with live wires falling dangerously close to him.
According to officials, the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) had recently taken up drainage works in the locality, during which the road was excavated. In the process, an electric pole reportedly became unstable.
On Tuesday morning, the weakened pole suddenly fell onto the road, snapping several live wires that spread across the street.
At the time of the incident, the boy was on his way to school. Sensing danger, he turned back and retraced his steps, narrowly avoiding a potentially fatal accident.
Residents said a few more steps forward could have resulted in a major tragedy.
The incident triggered public concern and drew the attention of the Industries and Food Processing Minister TG Bharath, who directed officials to respond promptly and take strict action. Following his instructions, officials rushed to the spot, secured the area and restored safety.
KMC Commissioner P Vishwanath said an inquiry was initiated based on a complaint received from TRANSCO officials. As a preliminary action, show-cause notices have been issued to two KMC officials for negligence.
He added that a police complaint has been lodged against the contractor concerned, seeking registration of a criminal case for violating the terms and conditions of the contract.
The incident has once again highlighted the need to prioritise public safety during infrastructure works, officials said, stressing that proper safety checks are essential to prevent such life-threatening incidents.