CHENNAI: A 44-year-old man was electrocuted while erecting flag poles in Padappai on Thursday. Venkatesan of Vivekananda Nagar owns a shop in Padappai, which rents out tents, chairs and sound systems for functions.

Venkatesan was erecting flag posts on both sides of the street for a wedding ceremony to be held in Serpananchery on the Walajabad-Vandalur Road.

While erecting the poles he came in contact with the overhead electric cable. Onlookers rushed him to a private hospital in Tambaram from where he was referred to the Chromepet GH but Venkatesan was declared dead. Manimangalam police are investigating.