Farmer, son electrocuted on illegal electrical fence in Vellore

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A farmer and his son were electrocuted after they stepped on a snapped live wire of an illegal electric fence erected to prevent wild boars from entering the farmland in Palankuppam near Pernambut town in Vellore on Thursday.

Police identified the deceased as S. Ranaganathan, 75, and his son R. Suresh, 45. Both, residents of the village, cultivated paddy and groundnuts on a five-acre plot they owned. 

Initial inquiry revealed that Ranganathan, along with his son, went to the farmland to check the saplings in a new garden they had created recently. The region has been witnessing heavy rains for the past few days following the onset of northeast monsoon. 

As they were checking the saplings at various spots on the farmland, Ranganathan accidentally stepped on a snapped live wire on the ground and got electrocuted. On hearing his cries, Suresh rushed to rescue his father but got electrocuted after stepping on the same wire.

Ranganathan and his son died on the spot. Immediately, neighbours and other farmers disconnected the power supply and informed the Melpatti police. They rushed to the spot and sent the bodies for a postmortem.

Police said that illegal electrical fencing was erected to prevent wild animals, especially wild boars, from entering the field and damaging the crops as the village was located at the foothills of Jawadhu Hills. A case has been registered. A probe, especially as to who erected the illegal fence around the land, is under way.

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