TNEB told to pay Rs 10 lakh in damages to electrocution victim and son

Court Holds Tangedco Responsible for Negligence During Cyclone Gaja

Madurai, June 2025 — In a significant judgment, the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to pay ₹10 lakh in compensation to a woman who lost both her husband and son due to electrocution in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja in 2018.

The verdict came in response to a petition filed by Subulakshmi, a resident of Pethuparai village in Kodaikanal, Dindigul district. Her plea sought justice for the tragic deaths of her husband, Ravi, and son, Raja Pandi, who died due to a live electric wire that came into contact with a clothesline in front of their home.

A Tragedy Sparked by Cyclone Gaja

According to the petition, the electrocution occurred on the morning of December 2, 2018, when the region was still recovering from the devastation caused by Cyclone Gaja. Subulakshmi’s son, Raja Pandi, was drying his wet clothes on a metal clothesline in front of their house when the fatal incident happened. Unbeknownst to the family, a live electric wire had come into contact with the clothesline. Pandi was electrocuted instantly.

Hearing the commotion, Ravi rushed to save his son. In a heartbreaking turn of events, he too came into contact with the electrified wire and was electrocuted. Both victims died on the spot.

Allegations of Negligence Against Tangedco

Subulakshmi argued that Tangedco was directly responsible for the tragedy. She stated that after Cyclone Gaja struck, power supply in the village had been cut off for over ten days. During the restoration process, she claimed the authorities failed to ensure the safety and stability of the electric lines before re-energizing them.

Her complaint emphasized that had proper safety checks been conducted before restoring electricity, the accident could have been avoided. She held Tangedco’s negligence accountable for the untimely deaths of her loved ones.

Initial Compensation and Closure of First Petition

Following the incident, Subulakshmi filed a compensation petition in 2019. After reviewing her case, the Tamil Nadu state government released an ex gratia amount of ₹2 lakh in 2021. Based on this payment, the court initially closed the case, recording the government’s relief.

However, Subulakshmi contended that the amount provided was grossly inadequate given the nature of the incident and the irreversible loss she suffered. She claimed that the earlier compensation did not take into account the accountability of Tangedco or the circumstances that led to the electrocution.

New Petition Filed in 2022

Unwilling to let the matter rest, Subulakshmi filed a fresh petition in 2022, this time focusing on Tangedco’s alleged negligence. She reiterated that her husband and son were agricultural laborers, and their deaths had not only caused her immense emotional suffering but also left her in financial distress.

The new petition demanded that Tangedco be held accountable for their role in the tragic event and that she be provided fair compensation under the law.

High Court’s Observations and Ruling

After hearing the arguments and reviewing the case details, the Madras High Court found merit in the petitioner’s claims. The court observed that public utility services such as Tangedco bear the responsibility of ensuring public safety, especially during and after natural disasters.

The judge noted that reconnecting power lines without thorough safety inspections demonstrated a serious lapse in duty. The court stated that such actions, or lack thereof, amounted to gross negligence, especially when human lives were at stake.

As a result, the court ruled that Tangedco must pay ₹10 lakh to Subulakshmi as compensation for the loss of her husband and son. The court emphasized that the compensation is in addition to the ₹2 lakh already granted by the state government, underscoring that the previous ex gratia did not absolve Tangedco of liability.

A Step Toward Accountability

This verdict is seen as a strong message to government departments and public service providers regarding their duty of care to the public, particularly during emergency situations. Legal experts suggest that the ruling could set a precedent for future cases involving alleged negligence by state-run utilities.

For Subulakshmi, while no compensation can ever replace the lives lost, the judgment offers a measure of justice and recognition of the failures that led to her family’s tragedy.