Chennai Class 12 boy electrocuted while walking on waterlogged street

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A 17-year-old boy died of electrocution while walking on a waterlogged road in Thiruvottiyur, Chennai, India Today reported.

The deceased was identified as Nafael, of Thangal Birbayilwan Dharga Street, Thiruvottiyur. As per the report, the incident took place on Wednesday night.

Nafeel was on his way home from tuition when he stepped into a pool of stagnant rainwater near Thangal Peer Pailvan Dargah. After stepping into the water, the Class 12 student lost consciousness. He was pulled out using wooden logs and plastic pipes, and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Nafeel's body was later sent for a post-mortem at Stanley Government Hospital.

Heavy rain on Wednesday had inundated the streets, leading to waterlogging.

Nafeel’s father, Altaf Hussain, held the government and the electricity board responsible for the death of his son, India Today reported. “This is not an accident. It is sheer negligence and dereliction of duty,” he was quoted by India Today as saying. “We made multiple calls asking for the power to be cut, but no one responded,” he added.

As per the report, residents erupted in protest, alleging that repeated calls to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to report the live wire had gone unanswered.

The road where the incident occurred had been dug up around ten days ago to lay a concrete surface. During that work, an underground electricity cable had reportedly been damaged. Several locals had experienced minor electric shocks while walking through the area in the days leading up to the incident. Despite raising multiple complaints with the electricity department, no linemen were dispatched to fix the issue, the report added.

“They said they would send someone, but no one came. We have been calling for ten days. This was bound to happen,” a resident was quoted by India Today.