Bengaluru Mother-Daughter Electrocuted: Rats, Lack Of Earthing Led To Tragedy, Says BESCOM

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) has taken stringent action following a tragic incident that resulted in the electrocution of a woman and her daughter in the Kadugodi sub-division on November 19. The company suspended five officials for 'dereliction of duties' and issued show cause notices to two senior officers. The incident prompted an immediate response from BESCOM, with preliminary findings attributing the presence of rats and lack of earthing affecting the nearby transformer site.

Root Cause Investigation

BESCOM's preliminary investigation identified rats as the root cause of the tragedy. Rats had damaged wires at a nearby transformer site, causing the tripping of the feeder line. The lack of earthing for the snapped transmission wire ultimately led to the electrocution.

A senior Bescom engineer explained that the problem originated from an apartment complex, 500 meters away, where rodents had ate away the wires, resulting in a dead short circuit with power transmission ten times higher than the normal load.

The victims, 23-year-old Soundarya and her nine-month-old daughter Leela, died of burn injuries when Soundarya accidentally stepped on a live electric wire lying unattended on the pavement. Despite efforts by her husband, Santosh Kumar, to save them, the tragic incident unfolded. The scattered belongings of the victims were found at the scene.

BESCOM's Response And Legal Action

BESCOM's response included the suspension of five officials and show cause notices to two senior officers. The company acknowledged the serious nature of the incident and the immediate actions reflect a commitment to accountability. Energy Minister K J George also took note of the accident, ordering the suspension of officials and emphasizing a thorough investigation into the matter.

A case of death due to negligence under Section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code was registered. The five BESCOM officials named in the FIR were arrested but later released on bail.