VILLUPURAM: A 12-year-old boy was electrocuted after he came in contact with an electric wire that ran over his house’s terrace in Villupuram on Sunday. Another seven-year-old boy suffered severe injuries in the incident. Residents alleged that the live wires were low-lying while Tangedco officials stated that they were within the limit.
Rajkumar’s son Kishore Raghav and Sivakumar’s son Krithvik, both residents of Rajan Nagar in Viratikuppam road, were playing on top of the under-construction house on Sunday when they accidentally touched the power line.
Kishore died on the spot while Krithvik was admitted to a private hospital in critical condition. Villupuram West police have filed a case and further probe is on.
Following the incident, residents alleged that despite multiple complaints about the low-lying power lines the electricity board officials had not taken any action.
However, a senior official from Villupuram Tangedco told TNIE that the power lines were lying within the limit of 17 feet from the ground on Rajan Street, where the incident happened.
“In fact, the power lines are at 17.5 feet from the ground meeting the official limit. Moreover, we issued a notice to the building owner early in January as the portico of the house was close to the power line, asking him to remodel the house as per the DCW process.
We have also filed a police complaint regarding the same after the owner was injured after touching the live wires in January. Since he was sick, he wasn’t able to remodel the house yet. It is in this background that the children had entered the building leading to the incident.”