Political Row Erupts in Kerala Over Electrocution of Minor

A political row has erupted in the bypoll-bound Nilambur assembly constituency in Kerala following a teenager's death by electrocution after coming into contact with an illegal trap set by a person to kill wild boars.

- Vishnu Varma

KOCHI: While the Congress claimed credit for the arrest of the key accused, the forest minister alleged a "political conspiracy" behind the illegal fence.

According to officials, Ananthu Suresh, a class 10 student, died late Saturday evening after he accidentally touched a live electric wire stolen from an overhead government cable while he was fishing near a stream in Vazhikkadavu panchayat. His two relatives, Shanu and Yadhu, were injured in the incident. An autopsy conducted on Sunday confirmed injuries due to electric shock on the teenager's stomach.

His remains were cremated in the family compound Sunday afternoon in the presence of a large section of public, activists and politicians.

Saju K Abraham, deputy superintendent of police, Nilambur said, "We have booked a case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (u/s 105 of BNS). The accused Vineesh has been arrested and we will produce him in court today. Further investigations regarding the examination of the call lists on his phone are being done to ascertain the involvement of others."