13-year-old boy's tragic death in Kollam: Minister Krishnankutty admits lapse

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty admitted a lapse in the death of a class eight student, electrocuted near his school premises in Thevalakkara on Thursday. In the report, KSEB was blamed for not ensuring the appropriate height between the electrical wire from the ground level. The school authorities were also held responsible for the illegal construction of a shed next to the electrical wire.

KSEB had installed spacers between the wires to prevent accidents due to the power lines above the cycle shed colliding. The Electrical Inspectorate found that the required safe distance from the ground to this line was not maintained.

The board's basic directive is to conduct safety inspections of power lines at regular intervals. KSEB officials had earlier asked the school management for permission to convert the line into armoured cables and install a post under the line. The school management responded that a decision shall happen after the next management committee meeting, but tragedy knocked on the doors even before.

The minister clarified that financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh will be provided to the child's family. He said that KSEB will initially provide financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh, and later, the required financial assistance will be transferred based on a detailed report.