Vazhikkadavu boy’s electrocution exposes dangers of power theft

Illegal electric trap set for wild boars in Vazhikkadavu exposes deadly danger of electricity misuse for criminal purposes.

The illegal electric trap set for wild boars at Vazhikkadavu, which claimed the life of a 15-year-old school boy and injured two others on Saturday late evening, has exposed the deadly danger lurking behind the clandestine use of electricity for criminal purposes, including the capture of wild boars.

The culprits were found to have rigged a makeshift set-up using a gaff attached to a long bamboo pole to tap electricity from a single-phase overhead power line. They then channelled the stolen power through a long uninsulated cable directly into the canal water, targeting a spot where wild boars were likely to cross.

“We found that the live wire had been recklessly placed in the canal, posing a lethal threat to any living being that came into contact with the water,” a Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) employee told The Hindu. “What we witnessed was no accident; it was a deliberate death trap set by someone with criminal intent,” he added.

The five youngsters who went fishing in the canal late Saturday evening were unaware of the electric current lurking in the water. As three boys were electrocuted, their friends on the bank raised an alarm and raced for help.

While Ananthu alias Jithu lost his life, local residents rescued Shanu Vijay and Yadu Krishnan and rushed them to hospital. Ananthu sustained burn injuries on his body reportedly after hitting the electric wire. The postmortem revealed that he died of electrocution.

KSEB, in an official statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, condemned the attempts by some vested interests to blame the board for the tragedy. “We have been repeatedly warning against such criminal power thefts. Blaming KSEB for the illegal actions of private individuals is reprehensible,” said the KSEB post.

KSEB warned that unauthorised use of electricity for electric fencing was illegal under Section 135(1)(e) of the Electricity Act 2003, and would be punishable with imprisonment up to three years and a fine.