A 17-year-old boy, Nafeel, died of electrocution on Wednesday night in Tiruvottiyur, Chennai, after stepping into a pool of stagnant rainwater that had become electrically charged. The incident has triggered public anger and protests, with residents blaming civic negligence and official inaction for the tragedy.Nafeel was returning home from tuition when he accidentally stepped into the water near Thangal Peer Pailvan Dargah and collapsed. Locals rushed to help him using wooden logs and plastic pipes, fearing electric current in the water. Though he was taken to a nearby hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. His body was later shifted to Stanley Government Hospital for post-mortem.
Following the incident, over 200 residents took to the Tiruvottiyur Highway, blocking traffic for nearly two hours. They alleged that despite multiple complaints about a live wire and unsafe conditions, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) failed to act. The protest ended only after police officials assured that strict action would be taken.
The electrocution happened after a sudden spell of evening rain caused waterlogging in many northern parts of Chennai, including Tiruvottiyur. Locals believe a damaged underground electric cable caused the water to carry current, turning it into a deadly trap.
Nafeel’s father, Altaf Hussain, expressed deep grief and anger. “This was not an accident. It was a result of gross negligence,” he said. “We made several calls to cut the power supply, but no one responded.”
The incident has renewed calls for better infrastructure maintenance, emergency response, and accountability from civic agencies to prevent such avoidable tragedies.