Inebriated man, 36, falls on electric fence around farmland, dies

Coimbatore: A 36-year-old man was electrocuted at Melpavi here on Thursday night after coming into contact with an electric fence installed around a farmland. Police said the battery-powered fence is not illegal and below the lethal level and the man had died as he was continously getting electric shocks for nearly 30 minutes.
The Karamadai police identifed the deceased as R Jayakumar, 36, a daily wage worker from Kaliyur near Karamadai. N Kuppusamy, 64, a farmer from Tholampalayam, installed an electric fence around his farmland at Melpavi to prevent the entry of wild animals.
“Jayakumar was returning home alone on a two-wheeler through the Tholampalayam – Karamadai road after consuming toddy with his friends. He lost control over his vehicle and fell on the electric fence and got stuck in it. He suffered mild electric shocks continuously for nearly 30 minutes. By the time passersby noticed him, he had died,” said a police officer.
Meanwhile, Jayakumar’s relatives gathered at the spot around 9pm, and demanded police to take action against farmowner Kuppusamy. Officials from the forest and Tangedco departments inspected the farm and confirmed that there was no direct power supply to the fence.
Police sent the body to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH). The body was handed over to the family members on Friday evening after the postmortem.
Police registered a case against the farmowner under Section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.