
MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the Tangedco to consider providing compensation to a man whose son was electrocuted to death last year.
The petitioner G Manoharan stated that on August 7, 2024, his son Muthukumar, an engineering graduate, had accidentally touched an electric post adjacent to his house. Due to electricity leakage in the post, he got electrocuted and died, he added. The Thottiyam police of Tiruchy registered a case and investigation is under way.
Claiming that his son died because of the negligence of the authorities, Manoharan sought Rs 25 lakh compensation from the Tangedco. However, the counsel appearing for the Tangedco contended that the Mullipadi panchayat president had installed the street light but failed to fix the earth line properly and maintain it, due to which the electricity leakage had occurred.
The government counsel also cited that the electricity board had issued proceedings on December 21, 2024, enhancing the compensation for fatal cases of electrocution from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
Since the postmortem report stated that the cause of death has been reserved awaiting the chemical analysis report, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan, who heard the plea, directed the Tangedco to consider Manoharan's request after receiving the chemical analysis report and police investigation report, and take a decision within three months.