Woman electrocuted in Khammam; Villagers stage protest, demand compensation

A woman was electrocuted by a high-tension wire in Khammam, sparking protests by villagers demanding Rs 1 crore compensation. Protesters blamed officials for negligence and highlighted recurring accidents due to low-hanging wires in Edulapuram Municipality.

Khammam: A woman’s death by electric shock has triggered flash protests by the family members and villagers at Kasna thanda in Khammam rural mandal under Edulapuram Municipality limits in the district on Monday.

The deceased woman Maruthi Muthamma (43) came into contact with 11KV electricity distribution lines while she was drying clothes on a parapet wall on the terrace of her house and died on the spot.

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Angered at the incident, the villagers and the woman’s family members as well leaders of different political parties staged a dharna on Khammam-Mahabubabad road with her body during afternoon hours in the day. High tension prevailed at the thanda due to the protest.

The protesters shouted slogans against the negligence of the electricity department officials and demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation to the woman’s family. Vehicular traffic came to a standstill on either side of the road due to the protest.

Some villagers have attacked the electricity office at Pallegudem substation; damaged doors and windows of the office. The local police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.Electricity department officials visited the spot and held talks with protestors.

The protestors lamented that high-tension electricity lines with lower ground clearance have become a curse for the residents in Edulapuram Municipality. Despite several complaints to the public representatives and electricity officials the problem was not solved.

During the last elections, Congress party leaders promised to resolve the problem as soon as they came to power, but did nothing in the last two years. The issue was taken to the notice of Palair MLA, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, but in vain, the residents complained.

A boy died due to high-tension wires at Sai Ganesh Nagar in the municipality one year ago. Many electrical accidents have also occurred in Chinna thanda. CPI leaders Rammurthy Naik, P Sudhakar, CPI(M) leader N Prasad, Congress leader Papa Naik and others took part in the protest.