Man hangs towel on live wire, gets electrocuted; wife, son die too in Pune - Times of India

Source: The Times of India
Author: Mihir Tanksale

PUNE: A 47-year-old construction worker was electrocuted on Monday morning when he hung a towel on a wire, while his wife and son died in a bid to save him at Dapodi in Daund taluka, about 85km from the city.

The Yavat police in rural Pune said electricity was flowing through the wire, resulting in Surendra Bhalekar (47) suffering from a severe shock.Bhalekar's son, Prasad, tried to save him, but he also suffered a shock. The worker's wife, Adika (40), rushed to their rescue but failed to do so and was electrocuted.

"We have registered a case of accidental death in this regard," inspector Narayan Deshmukh of the Yavat police said.

He said the Bhalekar family was staying in a rented room in Dapodi village for the past five years. Bhalekar was a centring worker, while his wife worked in farms. Their son was a Standard XII science student.

"A pipe used to tie the electricity supply wire in their backyard got bent because of heavy rain in the area on Sunday. The livewire touched the tin wall of Bhalekar's room. As a result, electric current reached the wall," Deshmukh said.

The officer said the family used an iron wire tied to the tin wall of the room to dry clothes. Current started passing through this wire from the room's tin wall.

"Prima facie investigations revealed that around 7am on Monday, Bhalekar was going to take a bath outside his house. When he went to hang the towel on the wire, he got electrocuted. His son rushed to his help but suffered a shock too," Deshmukh said.

According to the police, Bhalekar's wife raised an alarm, alerted the neighbours and attempted to save the duo before help arrived. "She got electrocuted too. Bhalekar's daughter had gone to a coaching class when the incident occurred," Deshmukh said.

Officials of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) visited the spot. The power supply for the house was taken from the meter. "The coating of the wire might have been damaged due to friction and the power supply entered the tin wall," said Vikash Puri, MSEDCL's public relations officer.

Deshmukh said the further course of action would be decided after getting the report of the electricity inspector. "Our investigations are on," he said.

The power utility has announced a Rs4 lakh compensation per person to the next of kin of the deceased.

Meanwhile, the city witnessed several other cases of electrocution this month.

On June 4, a 45-year-old was electrocuted when a live power cable snapped because of heavy rain in Balewadi. On June 11, a woman and her 14-year-old son were electrocuted on the roof of their house in Kharabwadi near Chakan, while a 10-year-old boy from Hadaspsar lost his life on June 12 after he stepped on a livewire submerged in water.