A 23-year-old woman and her nine-month-old baby lost their lives after being electrocuted on the footpath near Hope Farm in Kadugodi police station limits in the early hours of Sunday, police officers familiar with the matter said.
According to the police, the woman, identified as Soundharya, and her baby girl were electrocuted after accidentally stepping on a live wire lying unattended on the footpath.
Resident of AKG colony, Soundharya and her baby met their untimely demise around 6 am while Soundharya was walking with her daughter in her arms. “Soundharya would have stepped on a live wire assuming it to be an optical fibre cable and both of them died on the stop after being electrocuted. Soundharya’s husband [Kumar] who was with them escaped the electrocution,” a police officer said.
Police said that the couple was returning to Bengaluru via bus from their hometown in Salem of Tamil Nadu after celebrating Deepavali there. They got off the bus near Hope Farm junction. The woman was carrying her daughter and a bag while her husband was carrying a trolley. Though Kumar tried to save them, he was helpless as he also sustained a shock.
Shivakumar Gunare, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (Whitefield), disclosed that three Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) officials were detained and are undergoing questioning. “A case of negligence causing the death under section 304A of Indian Penal Code [IPC] has been registered at Kadugodi police station against the concerned Bescom officials,” he told media.
A case has been registered against five officials of Whitefield sub-division Bescom, including executive engineer Sriram, assistant executive engineer Subramani, assistant engineer Chetan and staff Rajanna and Manju.
Bengaluru Central member of parliament (MP) PC Mohan, while condemning the incident, underscored the urgent need for preventive measures by Bescom. “The electrocution at Hope Farm Junction, where a young woman lost her life, is heartbreaking and highlights the urgency for Bescom to adopt preventive measures. A heightened sense of responsibility from Bescom is crucial in averting such incidents and ensuring a safer environment,” he posted on X.
The death has raised the issue of the safety of pedestrians once again, as citizens have come down heavily on the negligence on the part of Bescom. Whitefield Rising, a citizen group, demanded strict action against the erring officials.“A young woman was electrocuted to death at Hopefarm Junction today [Sunday], in the early hours of the morning. She came in contact with a live Bescom wire just hanging from the top. Hopefarm is one of the busiest junctions in Whitefield, with thousands of people walking, waiting to catch the bus, walking to the metro station,”
“How could a live wire be just hanging? Thousands of people walk on this footpath next to bus stop. Metro is just a walk away. This is criminal negligence. A young lady, whose life has been brutally taken away. A rolling bag with her belongings at the side, standing mute witness to the tragedy,” it added.
This tragic event echoes previous incidents in Bengaluru, raising questions about the city’s infrastructure and safety protocols. In September of last year, a girl died due to electrocution after slipping on a waterlogged road, leading to a complaint against Bescom. In April 2022, a 22-year-old man suffered a similar fate after coming into contact with a cable wire while walking on a pavement near a park. These incidents underscore the pressing need for comprehensive safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Source: The Hindustan Times
