A 66-year-old man and his son died here due to electrocution reportedly after an iron rod that was being used to pluck coconuts struck an overhead power line.
The incident occurred at Chowara, near Vizhinjam, on Friday morning. The Vizhinjam police identified the deceased as Appukuttan and his 38-year-old son Renil, of Puthuvalputhenveetil House.
The incident reportedly occurred when Appukuttan was on the rooftop of his house plucking coconuts and the metal rod came into contact with an 11-KV line. Renil was electrocuted while trying to save his father.
According to the police, both men died on the spot. Fire and Rescue Service personnel and the police recovered the bodies after the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) staff disconnected the power supply on being alerted.
Appukuttan leaves behind his wife, who is bedridden, and another son and a daughter. Renil, who was the youngest of three children, is unmarried.
This is the latest in a series of electrical accidents involving metal rods used to pluck fruits and iron ladders that have been reported across the State. The KSEB has repeatedly warned the public against using such implements near power lines.
In all, 185 people have died in such incidents from 2016-17 to 2021-22, show the latest data published by the Electrical Inspectorate. Altogether, 312 incidents, both fatal and non-fatal, were reported during this period. In 2021-22 alone, 36 people died.
