Man electrocuted at bus shelter in Bengaluru owing to illegal connection to hoarding

Accident took place because of an illegally drawn wire to an advertisement hoarding by a private agency

A 30-year-old man lost his life after coming in contact with a live electrical wire at a bus shelter near Hebbal police station in Bengaluru on May 14, 2022.

A 30-year-old man lost his life on Saturday night after coming in contact with a live electrical wire at the bus shelter near the Hebbal police station.

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. (Bescom) has said the “fatal and non-departmental accident” took place because of an illegally drawn wire to an advertisement hoarding by a private advertising agency.

“The electrical accident occurred at 9.40 p.m. after the man touched the metal part of the bus shelter,” a Bescom official said.

The authorities of the Hebbal division of the power utility, who visited the spot after the accident, found an unauthorised extension of low-tension (LT) power through aluminium OH wire which was drawn by the private agency. The power for the hoarding, which was put up on the bus stand, was also illegally drawn from the pole, the officials said.

“The power installation for the advertising agency was disconnected in December 2020 itself, after the consumer failed to pay the outstanding bill. The bill amount was adjusted from the deposit and power supply was disconnected, but unauthorised power was drawn from the pole by the agency recently,” Bescom said in a release.

A senior official said that the vigilance wing of the company will also be filing a complaint against the agency for illegally drawing the power line.

A senior engineer in Bescom agreed that the problem of illegal line drawing still exists in the city. “Our linemen go around keeping a check on such things. They also pull out such illegal wires. But somehow, private agencies enter into agreements among themselves and draw such wires. However, now there is a strict order from the top that all such wires in the city should be immediately removed,” he added.

The victim’s body was shifted to B.R. Ambedkar Medical College Hospital. A case was registered at the Hebbal police station. However, until Sunday afternoon, the identity of the victim could not be ascertained. “We have sent out his picture to all the police stations and are awaiting responses,” a Bescom official said.