A 45-year-old woman and her 18-year-old son died after an electric current allegedly passed through a clothes-drying wire at Varnabettu in the Paladka gram panchayat limits of Moodabidri taluk, Dakshina Kannada, on Thursday. The incident is suspected to have been caused by a damaged household power line, while police and MESCOM officials have begun an investigation.
The deceased have been identified as Mercy Maskarenas and her son, Shon Maskarenas. According to a report by Prajavani, Shon first came into contact with the electrically charged wire while attempting to dry clothes. His mother rushed to help him after hearing his cries and was also electrocuted. Both died at the spot.
The wire had reportedly been tied at one end to an iron component of a sheet on the roof of the house. A household electrical line passing close to it is suspected to have snapped or otherwise come into contact with the wire, allowing electricity to flow through it. The report did not state whether the line was part of the external distribution network or the household connection.
The deaths were discovered when a domestic worker arrived at the house in the morning. News of the incident brought residents to the site. The presence of MESCOM personnel and police indicates that officials are examining the electrical arrangement, the damaged line and the circumstances that allowed the wire used for drying clothes to become energised.
The incident highlights the danger posed when metal household objects or wires are placed near overhead or exposed electrical lines. A wire intended for routine domestic use can become a fatal point of contact if it is connected, directly or indirectly, to a live electrical source. The available report, however, does not establish the precise point of failure or whether any prior complaint had been made about the line.
Shon was a pre-university student at Carmel College in Moodabidri. The deaths occurred within the Paladka gram panchayat area, where responsibility for household safety, local electrical infrastructure and emergency response may involve multiple agencies depending on the location and ownership of the line. The investigation will be required to determine the electrical cause and establish responsibility.
Police and MESCOM officials are continuing their inquiry at the site. Further findings on the condition of the power line, the household wiring and the exact source of the current are awaited.
