Kottayam: In an apparent case of alleged negligence by the Chithirapuram division of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), three Dalit women were electrocuted at Chikkanamkudy, Mankulam, some 40 km away from Munnar.
The deaths occurred when the three were coming back after collecting firewood from Panapally Kalinku at Chikkanamkudy Wednesday afternoon, Munnar police said.
They were identified as Yashoda Thankachan, 18, Salomy Kunjumon, 25, and Rajathy Mannan, 30, of a colony at Chikkanamkudy.
Another woman from the settlement, Vanitha, 20, also contacted live wire but escaped with injuries. Ms Salomy was five months pregnant.
The (KSEB) officials failed to repair the damaged insulator of the electric line, despite continuous local demand, and the electricity permeated through the stay wire resulting in the mishap.
Police said the barefooted women walked over the stay wire lying hidden in the bushes.
“A case will be registered against the KSEB officials of the Chithirapuram division for causing deaths without intention,” sub-inspector Vishnukumar said.
Local people told him that they had intimated the KSEB officials of the danger even on Wednesday morning.
Munnar ASP Merin Joseph, who visited the spot, told Deccan Chronicle that the stay wire was lying hidden in the overgrown bushes. She said the bodies were released to relatives after postmortem.
