CHENNAI: Four workers were killed and another injured after they were electrocuted while drilling a borewell at a private resort near Mahabalipuram on Saturday (July 11).
The deceased were identified as Prabhu (33) of Neikuppi village, Balaji (20) of Vasanthapuri, Basha Bai (45) of Mahabalipuram and Rajendran (55) of Kadumpadi village. Bhagavan (45) of Karanai survived the incident with minor injuries and was admitted to a nearby hospital.
Police said the private resort, which also operates a restaurant, had been facing acute water scarcity due to a sharp decline in groundwater levels during the summer. As the existing borewell was yielding insufficient water, the management had engaged a private drilling company to dig a deeper borewell on Saturday afternoon.
During the drilling operation, workers were lowering long iron borewell pipes into the ground when one of the pipes came into contact with an overhead high-voltage power line. The electric current passed through the metal pipe, electrocuting all five workers and throwing them to the ground.
The Resort staff immediately alerted the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) and the police. Power supply through the high-tension line was disconnected, following which police personnel, residents and a 108 ambulance team carried out the rescue operation.
Prabhu, Balaji, Basha Bai and Rajendran were declared dead at the scene. Bhagavan, who sustained injuries, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The bodies were sent to the Chengalpattu Government Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The Mahabalipuram police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Officials are questioning the resort management and representatives of the borewell drilling company.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the drilling work was being carried out directly beneath overhead high-voltage power lines without adequate safety precautions, police said.