Karnataka HC slams BESCOM officials for negligence in boy's electrocution case
By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Nov 12, 2024, 1:15 PM ISTThe Karnataka High Court condemned BESCOM officials for negligence after a boy suffered serious injuries from an exposed roadside wire. Officials sought to dismiss charges, but Justice Nagaprasanna refused, highlighting their disregard for public safety and scheduling further hearings in January 2025.
The Karnataka High Court criticized officials from the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) for their negligence, describing them as “irresponsible” and accusing them of disregarding the safety of pedestrians. This reprimand came in light of a case where a young boy, Pandurang, suffered severe injuries after touching an exposed wire on a roadside pole in Mudala Machikere village.
Two officers, Assistant Executive Engineer G.M. Praveen and Section Officer S.C. Chandrasekhara Tilak, along with lineman Asif Somalpur from BESCOM’s Jagaluru Division, approached the High Court seeking the cancellation of the criminal charges against them. They are facing charges of negligence and endangering human life, specifically related to the incident where the young boy was electrocuted while on his way to the fields in 2020.
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Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over the case, expressed severe disapproval of the BESCOM officials' alleged negligence, making it clear that the court would not overlook their actions. In his remarks, he called BESCOM officials “irresponsible” and stated that they seemed to treat the lives of pedestrians with little regard. He added that public complaints about exposed and dangerous electrical wires had often been ignored, questioning the officials' sense of accountability.
“If I had the authority, I would directly penalize the officials,” Justice Nagaprasanna reportedly stated, highlighting the court's frustration with the repeated lapses in addressing hazardous conditions. “They remain comfortable in air-conditioned offices, disregarding life-threatening risks posed by such wires,” he criticized sharply.
During the hearing, the counsel representing BESCOM attempted to present their arguments, but the judge interjected, stressing the seriousness of the case. The junior counsel for the officials requested a delay, as the senior counsel was unavailable for this session. The court agreed and adjourned the next hearing to the first week of January 2025.
What was the incident?
The case dates back to a complaint filed by Ravi, a resident of Mudala Machikere, in December 2020. Ravi reported that on the morning of November 26, 2020, his 15-year-old son, Pandurang, accidentally came into contact with a live wire attached to a roadside pole while walking to the field. The incident left Pandurang with severe injuries to both legs and one arm.
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Following the incident, Jagaluru Police Station conducted an investigation and filed a charge sheet against the BESCOM officers, accusing them of criminal negligence and endangering lives. The case is now under trial in the Jagaluru Civil and JMFC Court.
BESCOM’s plea to quash case rejected
BESCOM officials filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court to quash the charges against them. However, the court refused to entertain the request, upholding the seriousness of the incident. The court emphasized the need for accountability in preventing such accidents and reiterated its stance on the negligence displayed by the officials involved.
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