A man in Ganjbasoda, in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district, was reported dead on Friday afternoon after he came in contact with a 11 kV high-tension power line by spitting gutka from his third-floor balcony. His identity is reported as Prabhulal Gupta, aged 65.
Prabhulal Gupta was standing on his balcony in his rented house at Gayatri Nagar around 1pm during the incident. As per the local resident, Gupta was severely burnt as he spat on the overhead wire after chewing gutka; the sream with a saliva stream can cause a shock and result in severe burns, or saliva came in contact with the high-tension power line.
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Gupta has been living in his rented house in Gayatri Nagar for 10 years as he works as a construction trade worker at construction sites nearby. Gupta is said to be originally from the Chhatarpur area.
As per the electricity expert, the incident could possibly happen due to saliva containing moisture and salt, which behave as a conductor. If a continuous stream of saliva touches a high-tension power line, then it conducts the electricity, and it flows from the overhead wire passing by the saliva stream and reaching the man's body.
If the wire contains 11 kV of voltage, then it can create an electric arc near its radius. If the balcony is close to the overhead wire, then a small contact of a saliva stream can cause a shock and result in severe burns or death.
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The incident caused tension in the locality as the residents of Gayatri Nagar became furious, as multiple complaints had already been registered against the close contact of high-voltage electricity lines in the neighbourhood to the electricity company, but their complaints were repeatedly ignored. The resident also raised concern about poor conditions of nearby transformers and open wires.
Gupta's landlord also filed a complaint seeking help from the electricity official for the removal of high-voltage wires from the neighbourhood. The official has assured her the wires would be shifted, but no action was taken, she alleged.
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