BENGALURU: Jnanabharati police on Thursday filed a case of negligence against the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) officials after a 52-year-old man and his daughter died in a transformer explosion.
The incident took place in Jnanabharati on Wednesday. Shivakumar (52) a resident of Manganahalli, was working as a security guard.
Shivakumar and his daughter Chaitanya (18) had gone to Nagarabahvi to book a convention hall for the latter's engagement which was scheduled for the first week of April. They were returning home in a two-wheeler when the transformer installed by BESCOM exploded into a ball of fire spilling oil all over. The scooter was completely gutted and the seriously injured Shivakumar and his daughter were rushed to the hospital by the passers-by but to no avail.
The father-daughter duo succumbed at the hospital late at night. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's family the police issued a notice to the authorities concerned to take legal action.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Sunil Kumar said an audit of old transformers and those posing danger to pedestrians on footpaths will be audited and rectified.
Further, he announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of Shivakumar and Chaitanya.
A senior police officer said Shivakumar and his daughter suffered severe burns and were shifted to the Victoria hospital where they succumbed.
BESCOM officials said the blast occurred due to a technical snag. A team investigating the matter would submit a report to senior officials.
Based on a complaint lodged by Papanna, elder brother of Shivakumar, the police have launched a probe. The bodies have been handed over to the family on Thursday evening after the post-mortem.
BESCOM managing director P Rajendra Cholan was not available for comments.