Adilabad: TSNPDCL asked to pay Rs 7.02L to widow whose husband died of electrocution

Hyderabad: District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Adilabad has directed Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TSNPDCL) to pay Rs 7 lakh compensation to the spouse of a person who lost his life due to electrocution.

It also directed to pay an amount of Rs 2,000 towards the costs of the litigation.

Case details

Mohammed Murtuza Ahmed, 25, a vehicle driver, died on November 8, 2020. On the fateful day, Murtuza Ahmed kept the water heater in the bucket for bathing. He tried to take out the water from the bucket and accidentally slipped due to electrocution.

His partner Kahekashan informed the elder brother of Murtuza Ahmed and he immediately reached the spot and shifted him to RIMS Hospital at Adilabad. The doctor declared Murtuza Ahmed dead. One Town Police in Adilabad registered a case under section 174 of Cr.P.C. and investigated the matter based on a complaint filed by Murtuza Ahmed’s brother.

The postmortem report and report of the Electrical Officer revealed that Murtuza Ahmed died due to electrocution. Kahekashan alleged that her husband died due to carelessness and negligence of officials of the TSNPDCL who did not maintain the electricity wires and electricity supply properly, for which the TSNPDCL is liable to pay compensation to her for deficiency in service. Seeking justice, Kahekashan knocked on the doors of the Commission.

TSNPDCL denies deficiency in service

In its defense, the TSNPDCL filed its Counter and submitted that the complaint is not maintainable against them since there is no deficiency in service. The TSNPDCL also submitted that Murtuza Ahmed was using an electric immersion water heater to heat water in a bucket in his house.

On November 8, 2020, the deceased, while heating water in the bucket, touched the damaged wire of an electric immersion water heater in which the current was passing and was electrocuted and died on the spot. Murtuza Ahmed was electrocuted and died due to a fault in the house wiring, plug, defective water heater, and damaged wire of water heater, etc which are owned and maintained by him and his inmates, and the TSNPDCL have no concern with them.

The TSNPDCL also said that there was no negligence disservice or carelessness of the TSNPDCL and their employees in maintaining the lines and flow of supply. Following a plea from Murtuza Ahmed’s mother Rais Sultana for an ex gratia amount for the death of her son due to electrocution, the TSNPDCL on May 27, 2022, put Rs 4.5 lakh in fixed deposit and paid Rs 50,000 in cash.

Rais Sultana also acknowledged that a token of the above amount towards the satisfaction of the claim and no further claim shall be made by her or other legal heirs of the deceased in the future. The complaint is filed by Murtuza’s wife and no other legal heirs have been added as complainants though they are necessary parties. Therefore there is no deficiency in service on the part of the TSNPDCL. Hence the TSNPDCL prayed the Commission to dismiss the complaint with costs.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the Commission noted that the TSNPDCL did not file any document to show that Murtuza Ahmed was negligent for not keeping the electric water heater, water heater wire, house wiring, earthing, switchboard, etc. in good condition. Kahekashan is dependent on the earnings of Murtuza Ahmed. Due to the sudden and early death of Murtuza Ahmed, she is leading a very miserable life as she lost the earning source as he was the sole breadwinner of their family.

The Commission ruled in favor of Kahekashan and directed the TSNPDCL to pay the compensation of Rs 7 lakh to her.