10 lakh compensation should be paid; KSEB responsible for Leelamani's death from electrocution

ATTINGAL: Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas has ordered immediate compensation to be paid to the heirs of Attingal native Leelamani, who died of electric shock on July 26, 2025, after a service wire broke and fell. The commission also ordered that the committee chaired by the district collector should take steps to appoint a guardian for Leelamani's mentally challenged heir under the National Trust Act 1999. The order was taken in a case that the commission took suo motu based on a newspaper report.

The KSEB Chief Safety Commissioner has informed the commission in writing that KSEB is responsible for the death of Leelamani from Melattingal. Leelamani received a fatal electric shock from a broken service wire. When the service wire that was being pulled to Leelamani's house broke, it was spliced ​​together and wrapped with insulation tape. A banana tree that was standing in the yard broke and fell on the service wire, breaking the wire at the spliced ​​part. Leelamani got electrocuted when she picked up the part of the broken wire that had lost its insulation.

The report said that KSEB is responsible for the accident as it was caused by the failure to lay the service wire safely as per the Central Electricity Authority Act. Justice Alexander Thomas ordered that the KSEB MD should inform within six weeks what steps have been taken based on this.

The Chief Safety Commissioner said that the compensation of Rs 10 lakh has not been paid to Leelamani's dependents. The compensation could not be paid because the dependents did not produce the inheritance certificate. The report states that Leelamani has two adopted children, one of whom is mentally challenged and has applied to the tehsildar for the inheritance certificate.