BESCOM Blames Rat That Lead To Electrocution Of Mother And Toddler In Bengaluru

A day after a mother and her nine-month-old baby was electrocuted to death, Bescom officials on Monday have blamed a mischievous rat, seeking shelter within an apartment complex to have set off a chain of events in eastern Bengaluru on Sunday morning.

Bescom officials later uncovered that the rat's presence within a load break switch in a Maithri Layout apartment complex caused a short circuit at 3:50 am. This short circuit not only tripped the electricity line at the station but also snapped the 11KV feeder line, leading to the electrocution of Soundharya and her child at the Hope Farm Junction.

In their statement to the press on Monday, T Shanthamallappa, Bescom's General Manager for Quality, Safety, and Standard, highlighted the overlooked aspect of the incident. Following the short circuit, maintenance staff conducted a test charge just five minutes later, unknowingly charging the broken wire. Unfortunately, this live wire remained undetected due to an improper ground connection, as it didn't trip again, eluding the notice of station officials. Shanthamallappa expressed that had the line tripped again, station officials could have intervened before the tragedy occurred.

The site where the accident took place had approximately 150 meters of high tension electric wires above ground, awaiting the BBMP's plan to construct an underpass at the junction. The delay in this construction has kept these wires exposed. Bescom officials emphasized their readiness to transition these wires to underground cables as part of the upcoming plan, which includes road and footpath deviations.

Age played a role in this incident, as the conductor in question was around 26 years old, commissioned in 1997. Bescom considers the aging of such conductors as a potential contributing factor. They've initiated steps within a separate Bescom wing to identify and convert these aging cables into underground ones or aerial bunches to prevent similar mishaps in the future.

It must be noted that five electricity body officials have been suspended following the incident and show-cause orders have been issued to two senior officers.

Meanwhile, the victim's mother recounted the harrowing experience, stating, "While she was on the phone, she suddenly started screaming. At first, I suspected there might have been an argument. She predominantly speaks Tamil and isn't proficient in Kannada. Her desperate pleas were for help, begging to save the baby. My residence is located 2 kilometers from that road. I hurried there as fast as I could, but unfortunately, I couldn't rescue them. They succumbed before my eyes. She was merely 23 years old."

Karnataka Energy Minister announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the victims' kin.