Youth trying to steal toddy electrocuted in Coimbatore, farmer among six arrested

COIMBATORE:  A 22-year-old man was electrocuted in a farmland near Annur while allegedly trying to climb a coconut tree to tap toddy. The farm owner had set up an electric fence around the tree to prevent toddy theft. Further, the farm owner along with five friends, including a TNEB staff, removed the youth’s body from his land and dumped it by the road to make it appear like an accident. Burn injuries on the youth’s body helped the police solve the case.

According to police, S Sujith (22), a painter was living with his wife Mahesh at Ruthriyampalayam. On September 20, Sujith, who allegedly was addicted to liquor, went to Kanjapalli to consume liquor and did not return home. He was found dead in a dry stream adjacent to farmland at Kanjapalli. Police found burn injuries look like injuries caused by electrocution. But there was no source for electrocution there. Suspecting foul play in the death, Mahesh lodged a complaint with Annur police on September 23. Police registered a case and formed a special team to investigate.

“Sujith used to go to Kanjapalli to consume liquor in the evening and return home. On September 20, he went to Kanjapalli but did not return. After a search, he was found dead in a stream. The burn injuries on his body led us to take the case to next level”, said a police officer.

A Duraiv (59) has a coconut grove and was taping toddy from coconut trees and selling them to villagers. Some of the addicts started to steal toddy from the coconut trees at night. So, Durai installed an electric fence around a few trees. Sujith was trapped in one of the trees when he tried to steal toddy and was electrocuted, police said.

Durai and his friends dumped the body in the dry stream and they also removed the wires and the fence, according to police. “As there was no source for electrocution in the stream, we extended our investigation to nearby farmlands and came to know the farm owner had installed live wires to prevent toddy theft,” the officer added.

Following an investigation, police arrested Durai and his friends including P Muthukumar (50), TNEB line Inspector. Muthukumar was placed under suspension a year ago after he went to work in an inebriated condition. All the six were remanded to custody on Monday.