At around 10.30 am, helper linesman Prasana Mesta climbed on a feeder line pole to carry out jumper works for an 11 KVA feeder line, while the other two helper linesmen, Sameer Naik and Santosh Honarvarkar, held on to an aluminium ladder below. 

An electricity department official said, “As per information, there were two high tension lines on the same pole. The linemen were working on one line that was shut down.  However, there was some electricity ‘leakage’ in the second line, and thus, the linemen received shock and their hands were burnt.”

Locals took the trio to Sanjeevani Hospital, where their condition was reported as safe. They also expressed concern about the electricity department’s failure to provide safety gear to the linesmen.