BESCOM blames ad firm for woman’s electrocution on water-logged Bengaluru road

Akhila, a 23-three-year-old, was electrocuted on September 5 in Bengaluru, while attempting to cross flooded streets in the city's Whitefield neighbourhood.
Akhila, a 23-three-year-old, was electrocuted on September 5 in Bengaluru
Akhila, a 23-three-year-old, was electrocuted on September 5 in Bengaluru
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"Help me, please!" These words still ring clear in Sanjay Chaudhary’s mind. These were the last words uttered by young Akhila S, as she lay struggling after being electrocuted, on Varthur Main Road in Whitefield in Bengaluru. Sanjay was one of the few people around her who watched the young woman lose balance of her scooter and fall, after trying to traverse an inundated patch in Bengaluru's Whitefield.

“The woman was pushing the scooter with her hands when a car passed, creating a wave in the still water that struck her and the scooter,” Sanjay said. Akhila S was a resident of Siddapura in Whitefield. She worked as an office administrator at a music school in BEML Layout. The incident occurred on September 5 around 8 pm, when water level due to heavy rains at Whitefield’s Siddapura was above knee level. Akhila was riding her scooter home from work along a heavily flooded road near the Mayura Bakery in Whitefield, when her scooter broke down. As she was wading through the water, a passing car created a wave in the waterlogged road, pushing Akhila towards the divider.

Akhila attempted to hold onto something in order to maintain her balance and ended up touching the advertisement flex board on the divider. She came in contact with the live wires and got electrocuted. TNM visited the incident site and after speaking to various eyewitnesses, found that the wires connected to the advertisement flex board on the divider of the road, were protruding from the bottom of the iron frame.

Witnesses said that Akhila was struggling on the road for ten minutes after the incident. Sanjay said, “We tried helping her by lending a wooden log but she didn’t have the strength to even lift her hand.”

“A Zomato delivery boy tried entering the water to help her, but he too failed as he felt a slight electric shock,” another eye-witness told TNM. He further said, “Despite us wanting to help the poor woman, we couldn’t do much as we feared being electrocuted. We called the police and BESCOM officials repeatedly. By the time electricity was cut off from the flex board, the woman had passed away.” Another eyewitness said that he hasn’t slept since the incident. “I have never felt so helpless in my life. A woman was struggling in front of my eyes and I couldn’t do anything but witness the entire incident. This haunts me every day,” he said.

Workers from a nearby bakery rushed Akhila to the clinic right opposite the divider. “The clinic didn’t have doctors or nurses available. There were only sweepers cleaning there, so we rushed her to the nearest hospital,” a bakery worker who witnessed the incident said. He further stated that after seeing Akhila's bag at the divider, he called her family.

Upon being informed about Akhila’s death, Somashekhar, her father registered a complaint with the police. He blamed Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) for improper handling of the electricity connection to the flex board. The family is also yet to receive any compensation following the incident.

Ashok, Sub-Inspector of Whitefield Police station told TNM, “We have registered a case and the investigation is underway.” He further informed that BESCOM has submitted a report regarding the incident. “BESCOM submitted a report stating that they are not responsible for Akhila’s death,” he said.

As per BESCOM’S report, “BESCOM is only authorised to provide electricity. The wiring system should be managed by the respective companies who put up advertisement boards. In this case, if GS Media Company had properly managed the wiring system, this tragedy would not have occurred.” The police officials said that they will further look into GS Media Company and that Akhila’s family would be compensated by whoever was responsible for her death.

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