Power supply to complainant's house restored; employees were not drunk, fake propaganda being spread; KSEB issues explanation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSEB has clarified that a false propaganda is being spread against its employees in Kedakulam in Varkala. In a note shared on its Facebook page, KSEB stated that the employees went to the complainant's house after receiving a complaint that the electricity meter caught fire at night. After examining the meter, the employees informed the complainant that the power supply would be restored once the wiring in the house was fixed. The employees took the action as a safety precaution. However, the complainant soon filed a false complaint alleging that the KSEB employees came to the house after getting drunk.

According to KSEB, the Ayiroor police's investigation revealed that the KSEB staff members were not drunk when they arrived at the complainant's house. Additionally, it said that the electricity was restored soon after learning that the wiring in the house was fixed following the intervention of V Joy MLA.

The issue started on July 20 night after the Kedakulam section of the KSEB received a message from the complainant saying that the electricity meter of his house caught fire. Considering the seriousness of the matter, linemen Rajeev and Sanilkumar reached the complainant's house at around 11.05 on their bikes after calling the substation and switching off the 11 KV feeder. During the inspection, it was found that the terminals of the meter were charred. The fuses were damaged and the wires were completely burnt.

The employees disconnected the service cable from the electricity post to prevent further damage and guarantee the safety of the family, including small children, until the actual cause of the fire could be determined and rectified. The employees returned to the bike saying that the connection would be restored after the burnt wire and fuse unit were replaced and after ensuring safety by inspecting the wiring in the house. However, the complainant stopped and abused the employees saying he won't allow them to leave the area without restoring the electricity supply to the house. The employees immediately contacted the Assistant Engineer on the phone and the Assistant Engineer informed the Ayiroor police about the matter. The police reached the spot and took action to allow the employees to go back to the office.

However, the police soon asked the KSEB employees to come back to the spot after the complainant alleged that they misbehaved with his family after getting drunk. The KSEB employees were then taken to the Varkala Taluk Hospital and were subjected to medical examination. KSEB stated that the medical certificate issued by the doctor of the Taluk Hospital clearly stated that the employees were not drunk at the time of the incident.