A 23-year-old private company worker died after suffering a severe electric shock while working on power-line repair at Abalavadi village in Maddur taluk of Mandya district.
The deceased was Basavaraj, who was working for a private company involved in electricity maintenance work, a report said. They were replacing and repairing an electrical line in the village.
According to the information available, electricity supply to the line was disconnected as a precaution before the repair work began. Workers were told that the power supply had been switched off so that the maintenance operation could be carried out safely.
However, the situation changed when Basavaraj climbed the electricity pole to carry out the repair work.
Power Supply Reportedly Restored During Repair Work
While Basavaraj was on the pole and working on the electrical line, power supply was restored. He suffered a powerful electric shock then.
The shock caused him to go unconscious while he was still on the pole. People at the site attempted to save him and bring him down, but the attempt to save him failed.
The sudden death of the young worker has left his family devastated. Family and residents were gathering to talk about the incident and expressed their grief for him.
Questions Over Electricity Safety Protocols
The accident has raised serious questions about safety procedures followed during electricity maintenance work.
When workers are required to climb an electricity pole and handle power lines, keeping the relevant circuit completely isolated has to be done. Appropriate procedures must also be followed to avoid the accidental restoration of power while maintenance work is going on.
In this case, one of the key questions that is still relevant is how electricity supply was restored while a worker was still performing work on the line.
The circumstances of the restoration of power will need to be established through an official investigation. It will also be important to determine whether adequate communication and safety checks were carried out before Basavaraj started working on the pole.
The Private Company and KPTCL Connection Under Scrutiny
The repair work was reportedly being carried out by a private company in connection with an electricity project involving KPTCL.
Electrical line installation, replacement and maintenance have high risks when workers have to work at height and handle high voltage infrastructure.
So safety policies should include the proper isolation of the power supply, checking that the line is de-energised, proper protective equipment and measures to ensure that power cannot be restored accidentally while workers remain exposed to the line.
The incident has indeed raised questions about whether these safeguards were properly implemented at the Abalavadi worksite.
Investigation Needed to Establish Exact Cause
Local authorities and police are gathering information about the incident. A detailed investigation would help determine when and why electricity supply was restored and whether safety procedures were observed.
At this stage, any allegation of negligence or violation of safety regulations would need to be established through the investigation.
Authorities can also look at communication between the electricity department and the private contractor, the work permit or shutdown procedure, and safety checks performed before and during the repair operation.
Family Left Devastated
Basavaraj was only 23 years old and was in his working years, and so his death was particularly tragic for his family and in the local community.
The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of contract and private-company workers working on electricity infrastructure projects.
For workers working in high-risk electrical activities, safety can’t be considered secondary. Even a short time lapse in coordination can be fatal.
Need for Stronger Safety Measures
The Mandya incident highlights the need for strict safety systems when working on electricity maintenance.
Power must remain isolated until all workers have finished and left the danger zone safely. Officials and contractors need to ensure workers are equipped with the appropriate protective gear and communication among the teams is in place before electricity is restored.
The investigation of the Abalavadi accident might help to understand the exact sequence of events and to determine whether procedural failures were to blame for the tragedy.
The death of 23-year-old Basavaraj has left his family and the people of Abalavadi mourning. That investigation will help determine the most crucial questions regarding the accident—how the power supply was restored, why it happened while repair work was in progress, and if all necessary safety protocols were observed.
