RAMANATHAPURAM: In a tragic incident, a pair of siblings died from electrocution while playing near a defunct potable water purification unit at Achangulam near Kamuthi in the district on Wednesday morning.
The deceased were identified as Niraimathi (9) and Balapranav (6), children of Mohan. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and announced a solatium of `6 lakh (`3 lakh for each child) from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.
Kamuthi BDO Chandrasekaran placed the panchayat secretary, K Rasu, under suspension for alleged negligence in maintaining the facility.
According to sources, the siblings were playing near the water unit that was inside a metal enclosure when they touched a metal pole attached to it and died on the spot.
The police suspect the entire structure might have become electrically charged due to leakage from a snapped cable inside.
The Abiramam police sent the bodies to the Kamuthi government hospital for post-mortem examination.
Sources said the water unit remained unused for over six years and authorities allegedly did not cut power supply to the facility.
Parents and relatives of the children staged a road blockade in Kamuthi, demanding action against electricity board officials for allegedly failing to disconnect the power supply to the facility. They demanded that the EB officials concerned be named in the case.
The police pacified the protesters and assured them that appropriate cases would be registered, following which the protest was withdrawn. The family members were yet to receive the bodies as of Wednesday evening.
