Vazhikkadavu boy's electrocution exposes dangers of power theft
The culprits were found to have rigged a makeshift set-up using a gaff attached to a long bamboo pole to tap electricity from a single-phase overhead power line. They then channelled the stolen power through a long uninsulated cable directly into the canal water, targeting a spot where wild boars were likely to cross.
'We found that the live wire had been recklessly placed in the canal, posing a lethal threat to any living being that came into contact with the water,' a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) employee told The Hindu. 'What we witnessed was no accident; it was a deliberate death trap set by someone with criminal intent,' he added.
The five youngsters who went fishing in the canal late Saturday evening were unaware of the electric current lurking in the water. As three boys were electrocuted, their friends on the bank raised an alarm and raced for help.
While Ananthu alias Jithu lost his life, local residents rescued Shanu Vijay and Yadu Krishnan and rushed them to hospital. Ananthu sustained burn injuries on his body reportedly after hitting the electric wire. The postmortem revealed that he died of electrocution.
KSEB, in an official statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, condemned the attempts by some vested interests to blame the board for the tragedy. 'We have been repeatedly warning against such criminal power thefts. Blaming KSEB for the illegal actions of private individuals is reprehensible,' said the KSEB post.
KSEB warned that unauthorised use of electricity for electric fencing was illegal under Section 135(1)(e) of the Electricity Act 2003, and would be punishable with imprisonment up to three years and a fine.
KSEB clarified that electric fences would be allowed for agricultural crop protection only with the approval of the Electrical Inspectorate. 'It must comply with IS 302-2-76 (1999) standards, using battery-powered energisers with impulse generators.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Hans India
One booked for cheating unemployed
Vijayawada: Chilakalapudi police in Machilipatnam , Krishna district registered a case against one person Gopal Singh, who allegedly collected more than Rs.50 lakh from the job aspirants promising jobs in the government departments. Gopal Singh has claimed that he was the PA of Machilipatnam MP V Balashouri and met some people in Koduru, Nagaya Lanka, Gudivada, Challapalli Avanigadda and other places and assured them that they would get jobs on payment of Rs.2 to 3 lakh in Government departments. Some people blindly trusted Gopal Singh and gave money. On Friday, he told them to meet him in a hotel in Vijayawada. The victims tried to meet him in Vijayawada but he was absconding. The victims suspected some foul play and staged a protest in front of the office of Machilipatnam MP Balashouri on Saturday and demanded justice. The MP office staff told them that there is no person by name Gopal Singh in the office of the MP. They understood that Gopal Singh had cheated them. One person lodged a complaint to Chilakalapudi police on cheating of Gopal on a complaint the police registered a case and took up the investigation.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru man arrested in Glasgow for provocative outburst on EasyJet flight, creating panic: Report
A 41-year-old man originally from Bengaluru was apprehended in Glasgow after creating panic onboard an easyJet flight by loudly expressing hostility toward US President Donald Trump and chanting religious slogans, according to police officials. The man, identified as Abhay Devadas Nayak, reportedly suffers from a psychiatric condition. The Bengaluru man, suffering from schizophrenia, sparked fear among passengers. (Image for representation) (REUTERS) ALSO READ | Bengaluru resident questions city's liveability after 9 years: 'We're all just surviving' Authorities have contacted Nayak's family in southern Bengaluru, who explained that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nayak is from a business family with roots in the Honnavar area of Uttara Kannada, while his siblings are doctors working overseas, The Indian Express reported. His family stated that he has traveled extensively and that his passport was issued in Bengaluru. The incident occurred on an easyJet flight traveling from London Luton airport to Glasgow on July 27, when Nayak disrupted the flight by shouting provocative statements, including threats about bombs and exclamations such as 'Death to America, death to Trump,' and 'Allahu Akbar.' Videos circulated online captured Nayak standing up, shouting, and then being restrained by fellow passengers and crew. During the scuffle, Nayak claimed that he was protesting because Trump was in Scotland that day, hoping his actions would send a message. ALSO READ | L&T terminated Corridor-2, Corridor-4 contracts of suburban rail project illegally: K-RIDE During the ordeal, Nayak told passengers that he was a refugee in the UK without a passport, possessed residency documentation for Wales, and that his earlier bomb threat was false. An ATM card in his wallet revealing his first name helped confirm his identity, the report said. ALSO READ | Japanese man compares Bengaluru airport to a luxury hotel: 'Never seen anything like this before' Scotland police reported responding to the disturbance after the plane landed in Glasgow at around 8:20 am on July 27. Nayak was taken into custody upon landing and appeared in court the following day without entering a plea. Official sources in Karnataka suggest that Nayak could be returned to India without formal charges being pressed. Public records from India show Nayak established a business, Antrix Ventures, in Bengaluru in 2010 with a relative. UK authorities have charged him with violations of the Air Navigation Order for recklessly endangering the aircraft and those onboard.
Scroll.in
11 hours ago
- Scroll.in
West Bengal: Two persons arrested for assaulting Muslim men transporting cattle in Durgapur
Two persons were arrested for allegedly beating up, tying and forcing two Muslim men to do sit-ups in West Bengal's Durgapur on Thursday, while they were transporting cattle for farming purposes, police said. The attackers were allegedly linked to a Hindutva outfit and the Bharatiya Janata Party, The Indian Express reported. The incident took place near the Gammon Bridge under the Coke Oven police station limits, where a group of men stopped a pickup van carrying cattle and attacked its occupants, The Hindu reported. A purported video of the incident has been widely shared on social media. Commissioner of Police (Asansol-Durgapur) Sunil Kumar Chaudhary told The Hindu that the men were transporting cattle from the Asuria market in Bankura district. An FIR has been filed against a BJP youth wing leader who was allegedly seen in the video tying the victims' hands and forcing them to do sit-ups, the newspaper reported. Two persons belonging to the minority community, while carrying cattle for farming purpose, were detained and severely beaten up yesterday in Durgapur by some hooligans belonging to a particular political party. A case has been registered over the incident and two of the… — West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) August 1, 2025 Raids are underway to arrest all those involved in the incident, West Bengal Police said in a statement on social media. 'Nothing and no one will be allowed to dent our state's tradition of inclusivity and harmony,' the police said. 'We always have, and always will, demonstrate zero tolerance for religious bigotry of any kind.'
