MADURAI: A single judge of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to pay a compensation of Rs 5.42 lakh to an electrocution victim’s family, after the Board lost out the case. A 28-year-old man, Ramakrishnan, died in Sivaganga on October 2, 2011, after a live wire snapped and fell over him, apparently due to the negligence of the TNEB in maintaining the wire. Stating that his son was earning Rs 15,000 at the time of his death, Ramakrishnan’s parents moved the court seeking Rs 9 lakh as compensation.However, the AE of TNEB in Sivaganga, in his counter, contended that the wire got snapped due to ‘heavy rain, wind and lightning’. Ramakrishnan reportedly rode his two-wheeler over the live wire and hence died of electrocution.“There was no negligence on the part of the Board or its officials. The natural calamity alone was the reason for electrocution. Since the accident was an act of God, the Board is not liable to pay compensation”, he added.Rejecting the contentions of TNEB, Justice K K Sasidharan recalled the accident where Ramakrishnan died screaming for help in front of the people. Stating “Since it was made out that the death was due to electrocution, necessarily the Board should compensate the legal heirs of the victim,” the Judge added and determined the compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act.
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