A low hanging high tension electric wire became the cause of death of a 32-year-old woman, when the car she was travelling in came in contact with the wire at Yacharam on Friday evening.
Chandrakala, a private employee from Hyderabad, was travelling with five other family members, from Kukatpally to Takkallapally village in Ranga Reddy district to visit her sister, when the incident took place.
“While they were travelling, a truck carrying a load of scrap coming from the opposite direction came in contact with an overhead high-tension wire, which was hanging. The wire snapped and hit the car, causing a fire,” Inspector Madan Mohan Reddy told TNM.
According to Deccan Chronicle, the road has been recently recarpeted due to which its height had increased, the cable which used to be 20 foot above the ground, was now at 17 feet.
A person traveling on the same road, Jagan, helped the other family members escape the accident.
“Jagan who noticed the spark on the car, went to help them. He used a towel to open the doors of the car and warned everyone not to touch any parts of the car,” the Inspector added.
While everyone came out of the car safely including Chandrakala’s husband who was driving the car and her children sitting at the back seat. But Chandrakala mistakenly touched the handle of the car while coming out from the front seat.
“She got electrocuted and soon after that the car caught fire along with Chandrakala,” said Inspector Mohan.
A case has been registered under section 304 (a) of IPC for causing death by negligence against the electric department, driver and owner of the car.
“The local people are aware of the hanging electric wire at a low level which is prone to accidents. They have even complained to the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited,” he added.