In a tragic incident, a woman tea garden employee, Chandrammal, died after trampling on a broken electric wire at a private tea estate in Gudalur. Co-workers blocked the road demanding action against the Electricity Department for not carrying out proper maintenance work.
The Nilgiris: Chandrammal (45), a resident of Sarkar Moolai area under Devarshola town panchayat near Gudalur in the Nilgiris district worked in a private tea estate nearby.
On her way to work in the tea estate as usual on Monday morning, Chandrammal did not notice the high tension electric wire passing through the middle of the tea garden which was snapped and stepped on it. She was reportedly electrocuted and died on the spot.
The incident caused a lot of grief in the area and her fellow plantation workers have boycotted work. Following this, officials held talks with the workers, but to no avail.
The tea estate workers have demanded action against the Electricity Department for not carrying out proper maintenance work. Co-workers have been staging a road blockade on the Gudalur-Kerala highway demanding that the private estate management provide relief to the family of the deceased Chandrammal.
Traffic on the road was disrupted for more than an hour. The police reached the spot on receiving information and are engaged in talks with the protesting workers.