Woman Dies in Anna Nagar: Postmortem Points to Electrocution

Preliminary postmortem findings have pointed to electrocution as the likely cause of death of a 59-year-old woman near a newly constructed stormwater drain on Anna Nagar 2nd Avenue, triggering a dispute between civic and power authorities over the source of the live current.

The deceased, identified as M Kalavathi, was a resident of Padi who worked as housekeeping staff in Anna Nagar. She was returning home after visiting a church when she collapsed at the spot. While initial reports suggested she fell into a pit dug for stormwater drain work, officials clarified that construction along that specific stretch had concluded several weeks prior.

Hospital sources indicated that while the official postmortem report is pending, initial examinations point to electrocution. Police officials stated that they are waiting for the final report before determining the next course of legal action. Senior officials confirmed that electrocution from a high-tension (HT) cable remains among the potential causes under investigation.

Following the incident, the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) offered conflicting assessments regarding the source of the electrical leak. TNPDCL officials denied that their infrastructure caused the fatal shock, suggesting instead that the current could have originated from cables linked to corporation-maintained streetlights.

GCC officials disputed the power utility's claim, stating that a subsequent site inspection revealed no streetlight cables running through the exact location where Kalavathi fell.

Despite the disagreement over jurisdiction and infrastructure, a senior corporation official stated that government agencies must coordinate to address such hazards, noting that departments will work together to prevent similar occurrences in the future.