Biker dies in flooded subway in Kovai, electrocution suspected
COIMBATORE: A 54-year-old man working in the district supply department office died of electrocution allegedly caused by the underground power cables at Lanka Corner junction on Monday night. The incident took place around 11 PM, when the staff was returning home on a motorcycle.
Sources said P Selvaraj, a native of Rasipuram in Namakkal district, stepped on a live wire that was submerged in stagnant water near the Lanka Corner railway subway, due to heavy rain. Selvaraj, who is survived by his wife and a son who is studying in Class 4, was a consolidated salary employee and was transferred to Coimbatore from Erode six years ago.
He was residing with his family at Alwin Nagar near Sungam Bypass and worked as a system manager in the office of the District Supply Officer. As per sources, Selvaraj lost balance while crossing the junction as it was flooded and fell into the stagnant water allegedly after suffering an electric shock. He was trapped under the bike.
Other motorists who saw the incident, stopped ahead of the subway and alerted police, fire and rescue services personnel and TANGEDGO officials. A team arrived at the spot and disconnected the power supply to the area. Medical staff recovered Selvaraj’s body from the water and sent it to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for post-mortem examination. Race Course police registered a case and further investigation was under way.
Lanka Corner is a tri-junction that connects Trichy Road, State Bank Road and Big Bazaar Road. The subway gets flooded during heavy rains. “On Monday night, due to the heavy downpour, the junction was flooded for a 100-meter radius. The electric cable was allegedly found exposed near the platform on State Bank road, where Selvaraj died,” police sources said. A senior police officer said many people had crossed the spot that evening even though it was flooded. However, locals who operate stalls there said there was an issue with the electric line and they received mild shock from the EB poles. “The exact reason would be known only after in the post-mortem report,” police said.
City Municipal Corporation Commissioner M Prathap told TNIE that TANGEDCO and Police have been inquiring about the cause of death. “We are working to build a stormwater drain to prevent water logging at Lanka Corner junction,” he added. On Tuesday, officials from TANGEDCO inspected the EB connection at the spot. N Duraisamy Executive Engineer (Coimbatore Central) of TANGEDCO said if there was any disruption in the live line, the fuse would have blown out. “On Monday, no such issues happened. Hence we hope that it was not for EB connection and electrocution. It would be cleared once we get the postmortem report,” he said.