TURA: Bringing to light once again the poor safety measures in place through which electrical lines pass through, a woman died from severe burns caused by electrocution while she was felling banana plants near her house in Edenbari, on the outskirts of Tura, on Wednesday afternoon.
Late Mrs Hansolin D Sangma, a mother of two young children, was out on Wednesday afternoon cutting banana plants that had grown high when she came in contact with a live wire from the 33 KV transmission line that was just above a banana plant.
The contact with the live wire electrocuted her and also burnt the banana plant. Her lifeless body was found by her family at the site, a few hours later, after they went looking for her when she did not return home in the evening.
Cases of electrocution deaths have been plaguing Garo Hills for years now and most incidents have been attributed to poor maintenance and lack of safety measures by the state power corporation. A few years ago, a young toddler lost both his hands from electrocution while as many as five labourers died in Mendipather region when a cement mixer machine they were pushing came in contact with a high powered transmission line dangling dangerously low just above the road. Most recently, a young biker on his way to a village in Dadenggre skidded off the road while negotiating a turn and fell on a live wire lying by the side of the road killing him.