Farmer electrocuted when climbing transformer near Uthangarai

Krishnagiri: A farmer was electrocuted when he climbed up a transformer to fix a power line near Uthangarai, in Krishnagiri district, on Sunday.
The deceased has been identified as R Seddu, 50, of Kedakkanur village, in Govindapuram panchayat.
Seddu who was farming, could not pump water from a well as there was no power. "He assumed that it was due to a power outage and climbed up the electric transformer to address the issue himself. However, he was electrocuted and died instantly," said an officer from Singarapettai police station.
Locals who witnessed the incident alerted police, who arrived at the scene along with staff from the electricity department. They retrieved Seddu's body from the transformer and sent it to the government hospital in Uthangarai for a postmortem.
Meanwhile, initial investigations indicated that the transformer had been malfunctioning for over six months, with residents repeatedly requesting repairs. "We have been consistently complaining to officials at the electricity board office in Singarapettai. Instead of addressing the issue, they provided a direct power connection from another transformer," said S Bharathiraja, a local villager.
Police have registered a case and are investigating further.