Andhra Pradesh: 5 women charred to death as high-voltage cable hits autorickshaw

Autorickshaw on fire at Chillakondayyapalli village of Tadimarri Mandal in Sri Satya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh. (Supplied)

The accident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when 11 agricultural labourers from the nearby village of Guddampalli took the auto to work.

According to Dharmavaram DSP Ramakanth, a metal cot tied to the top of the autorickshaw caused high conduction of current when a high-voltage 11 kV electric cable snapped and hit it.

The vehicle quickly caught fire because of this high conduction, he explained.

The DSP added that while the passengers sitting close to the exits managed to escape with injuries, it was too late for the five women riding in the middle seats to get out of the burning vehicle.

The police identified the deceased as Kanthamma (32), Ramulamma (35), Rathamma (35), Lakshmi Devi (32), and Kumari (35).

Reportedly, all women belonged to the same family and worked as agricultural labourers in the nearby groundnut fields.

APSPDCL blames squirrel

Paying condolences to the bereaved families, AP Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) H Harinatha Rao announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia to the deceased and ₹2 lakh compensation for the injured.

Explaining the cause of the accident, he said a squirrel jumped from an electric pole at the accident spot onto the electric cable, which led to a short circuit, and that resulted in the snapping of the cable.

He said that an enquiry would be ordered into the issue, and the engineers responsible would be questioned.

CM announces ex gratia

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the deaths of the five women.

He expressed his condolences and announced ₹10 lakh ex gratia to the kin of the deceased.

He also ordered the officials to provide good healthcare for the injured.

Meanwhile, Opposition party leaders have demanded that the ex gratia be increased to ₹50 lakh.

Speaking to reporters, Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan too expressed his condolences.

Opposition blames APSPDCL

TDP leader Nara Lokesh Babu claimed the electricity department’s negligence in maintaining the electric lines in the area was responsible for the incident.

He also claimed incidents of the cables snapping in this area are being reported regularly.

In a tweet, he mocked the APSPDCL CMD for blaming a squirrel for the accident.

తేనెటీగల వల్ల రథం తగలబడటం,ఎలుకలు మందు తాగడం,కుక్కలు తరిమితే భయపడి కోర్టులో కాకాని కేసు ఆధారాలు ఎత్తుకుపోవడం,ఉడత వల్ల హై టెన్షన్ వైర్ తెగడం వంటివన్నీ జగన్ నాటక రెడ్డి పాలనలోనే జరుగుతాయి.ఇంకా నయం!కోతల్లేకుండా నాణ్యమైన విద్యుత్ సరఫరా చేయడం వల్లే ఈ ప్రమాదం జరిగింది అని చెప్పలేదు(1/2) pic.twitter.com/nb7w14ZY3I

— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) June 30, 2022

He also demanded suitable compensation for the families affected.

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan also criticised the APSPDCL for shoddy maintenance of the electric lines in the area.