CCTV footage of tragic moments of electrocution reveals the other side that Bescom didn't say

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: While investigations are still underway to determine the cause of the electrocution of 23-year-old Soundarya and her nine-month-old baby near Kadugodi, shocking visuals of the incident showed a Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) 1912 help team "helplessly" witnessing the incident, even as the woman and the child lay burning on the footpath pavement.

CCTV footage of early Sunday morning showed that the snapped live 11 kv power cable had been lying on the footpath posing a huge risk to pedestrians.

Around two hours before the electrocution incident, a man walking on the same footpath was seen stumbling over the snapped power cable. The video at 3:41 am showed fire emerging from the cable and the man running a few feet away in order to escape the danger.

A few passers-by also seem to notice the fire but continue on their way. According to Bescom, no one reported about the snapped live wire lying on the footpath before the incident.

This shows either the lack of importance people show towards happenings around them or that they don't want to get involved or maybe get into trouble, a civic activist told News Trail.

Around 5:42 am, Soundarya along with her daughter, Suviksha, and her husband Santosh Kumar takes the same road. Soundarya, carrying her baby, can be seen walking on the footpath while her husband is walking by the side of the road.

The woman trips on coming in contact with the live wire and she and her child are instantaneously on flames. The video shows the des - perate attempts of the husband in order to save his family.

He was seen running around, shouting for help, as several passers-by stopped a few meters away from the fire and watched the horrifying sight helplessly.

Just 20 seconds after the electrocution, a Bescom van was seen arriving at the spot. The video showed two men getting down after witnessing the fire, but there was little they could do as the woman and her child were engulfed in flames already.

Fol Kadugodi Police arrested five Bescom officials, who were released on station bail the next day. An FIR was registered and a probe is on.

Recently, Lokayukta filed a suo motu case and issued notices to seven officials and sought a reply within two weeks.

The Lokayukta has also ordered the Superintendent of Police, City division to inspect the spot and submit a detailed report. By now the citizens in Bengaluru have realised that the civic agencies do not respond to complaints until anything tragic takes place at the spot.

The BBMP had ignored repairing the roads until pothole-related deaths were reported in the city.

'Why can't B'luru have fire hydrants at least at crucial junctions?'

The city has seen a rise in the number of fire accidents over the years. But despite this, the authorities might never have thought of having well-maintained fire hydrants for managing fire accidents.

Recently, fire tenders were unable to reach a building in Kumbarpet due to narrow roads.

Fire officials, on the condition of anonymity, told News Trail that the fire hydrants are amongst the essential equipment as per the norms under the Fire Protection and Fire Safety Requirements by Government of India.

Apart from a very few seen in Indiranagar and MG Road, no areas in Bengaluru have fire hydrants even though the BWSSB had stated that there is no problem with the availability of water for the fire hydrants.

Fire hydrant is a connection point which is used by the firefighters as an outer source during a fire emergency. It is usually attached to an underground pipe or tank.

During an emergency, the user attaches the hose to the fire hydrant and then opens the valve for the supply of water.