Workers were pruning branches when aluminium ladder came in contact with live power line

Madikeri:  Three labourers including a woman died while another woman labourer suffered serious injuries when the aluminium ladder they were using to prune tree branches came in contact with a live power line at a coffee estate in Dodda Pulikotu village near Napoklu in Kodagu district yesterday.

The deceased labourers have been identified as Dayana Thammaiah (45), Anil (44) and Anil’s wife Kavitha (36). The seriously injured labourer is 32-year-old Sunitha, who has been admitted to Madikeri District Hospital.

Dayana Thammaiah, a resident of Cherambane and Anil, Kavitha and Sunitha, natives of Kasargod, had taken up pruning works of tree branches at the coffee estate of Madeyanda Kunjappa yesterday. They were using a 36 ft. tall aluminium ladder to climb up to prune the branches.

At about 11.30 am, when Thammaiah, touched the ladder to climb, he was electrocuted as the ladder had come in contact with an 11 KV power line and fell down. Anil, who went to the rescue of Thammaiah, was also electrocuted and Anil’s wife Kavitha, who rushed to the help of her husband Anil was also electrocuted.

Another labourer Sunitha, who heard the screams of Kavitha, rushed to her rescue and she suffered serious injuries.

Deceased Thammaiah was staying at the labourers’ quarters of Karavanda Suresh at Ballamavati since 20 years and even Anil-Kavitha were also staying in the same quarters, it is learnt.

Thammaiah leaves behind his wife and two children while Anil and Kavitha have a daughter and a son.

Napoklu Police Station Officer Renuka Prasad and staff Naveen, Harish, Machaiah and CESC Junior Engineer H.R. Harish visited the spot.

Napoklu Police, who have registered a case in this regard, are investigating.

It may be recalled that on Apr. 1, three estate workers were electrocuted when they came in contact with a live power transmission line at Aruvathokkalu near Gonikoppal in South Kodagu.

According to the Police, one worker climbed up a coconut tree using an aluminium ladder to pluck tender coconuts.

The ladder, however, accidentally touched the power line that passed through the plantation and the labourer was electrocuted.

Seeing smoke bellowing from his body and hearing his screams, two other workers rushed to his rescue and even they too were electrocuted when they touched the aluminium ladder.

All the three bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Gonikoppal Police had registered a case in this regard.