ANANTAPUR: The disconcerting scene of a farmer and his son hanging and falling down from a power cable demanding compensation for his land was witnessed in the Melavayi village of the Madakasira mandal of the Anantapur district on Sunday.
Subhan Saab (50) and his son Nabi Rasool own a land parcel on the outskirts of the Melavayi village abutting Karnataka. The electricity department of the Karnataka government had reached an agreement with Subhan Saab to buy a part of his land to erect poles to lay high tension cables.
On Friday, labourers of a contractor started laying the cable which the father-son duo objected to saying their compensation had not yet been paid in full.
“We have been given only ₹90,000 as against the promised ₹5 lakh. We objected but the labourers lifted the cable with us hanging on to it on the contractor’s instructions,” Subhan Saab told The Hindu over phone.
Eye-witness accounts say Subhan Saab and his son were told by the labourers to leave the place and approach the contractor or the authorities concerned about his compensation.
They refused to do so and the labourers went about their work.
“When the height of around 15 feet was reached in about 10 minutes, I unclasped my hold on the cable and fell down while my son let go after a few more minutes from a higher point. He seems to have sustained internal injuries in his groin area,” said Subhan Saab.
District officials who took note of the incident said they would take up the case for compensation and initiate action against the contractor and his men.
