Bescom blames ad firm for man’s electrocution at Hebbal bus stand

BENGALURU: The death of a 35-year-old man due to electrocution at Hebbal bus stand has led to blame game with Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) saying the incident took place due to illegally drawn power to an advertisement board. 

An official statement issued by Bescom stated that the incident occured at around 9.40 pm when the victim touched the metal part of the bus shelter. “Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer and Section Officer of Bescom, Hebbal division, visited the spot and found that an unauthorised extension of low-tension power through aluminium overhead wire was drawn by a private advertising agency named Times Innovative Media from the pole situated near the bus stand.

Power was illegally drawn from the pole for the hoarding which was placed on a bus shelter. The wires were not connected properly and when the man touched the rod he got an electric shock,” the official statement said. 

Power supply to the advertising hoarding was disconnected in December 2020 after the consumer failed to pay the outstanding bill. The bill amount was adjusted from the deposit and the power supply was disconnected. But unauthorised power was drawn from the pole by the agency recently, Bescom alleged. 

“It was a fatal, non-departmental accident and the vigilance wing of Bescom has decided to file a complaint against the private advertising agency for illegally drawing power connections,” a senior Bescom official said. 

SECOND INCIDENT
On April 25, a 22-year-old daily wage worker Kishore B was electrocuted on Sanjaynagar Main Road. Kishore was walking home when he came in contact with an internet cable and died on the spot. Based on a complaint, Sanjaynagar police arrested three staffers, including an area manager of the internet service provider company.