Teen gathering coconuts for teacher dies of electrocution

Arasu and his classmate Athi (16) of Nallorpalayam village accompanied their teacher K Prabagaran (32) to the latter’s in-laws’ house at Oraiyur village to gather coconuts.
Relatives of S Arasu (inset) staged a protest demanding action against the teacher, who was later arrested and sacked | Express
Relatives of S Arasu (inset) staged a protest demanding action against the teacher, who was later arrested and sacked | Express

CUDDALORE: A 17-year-old student was electrocuted to death after a power line fell on him while he was helping gather coconuts from a tree at his teacher’s relative’s house near Panruti on Tuesday. The teacher has been sacked and arrested.

The deceased, S Arasu of Vaniyampalayam village near Cuddalore, was a first-year student pursuing an electrical course at a private industrial training institute (ITI) in Panruti, said a source from the Puthupettai Police Station.

Arasu and his classmate Athi (16) of Nallorpalayam village accompanied their teacher K Prabagaran (32) to the latter’s in-laws’ house at Oraiyur village to gather coconuts for the teacher’s wife’s baby shower on November 27.

“Athi plucked the coconuts while Arasu collected them on the ground. In the process, a coconut hit an electric line, causing it to fall on Arasu,” said the source. Arasu fainted and was taken to the government hospital in Panruti, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased protested at the hospital and demanded the arrest of the teacher. The police arrived and dispersed the crowd. The body was then sent to Governement Villupuram Medical College Hospital in Mundiyampakkam for an autopsy. Prabagaran was arrested on Tuesday night and booked under Section 304 (ii) of the IPC.

On Wednesday morning, Arasu’s relatives gathered before the ITI and demanded compensation. The police arrived and pacified the kin. The parties later reached a settlement at the deputy superintendent of police’s office, where the ITI management revealed that Prabagaran was dismissed from his job, following which the protesters dispersed. An investigation is on.

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