India records 1.1 lakh electrocution deaths in a decade; Kolkata tragedy highlights crisis

When Kolkata woke up on Tuesday, it found itself under water, drenched by the heaviest downpour in 37 years. In such a deluge, blaming urban infra and maintenance, drainage, etc, maybe cathartic, but little else. Seeking 'viksit', embracing stasis has become a way of life for which long-term solutions exist, but are forever in the horizon. But what is a sad, specific, unforgivable 'problem' is pedestrians electrocuted to death. At least 9 deaths by electrocution took place on Tuesday in 2025 India. Mamata Banerjee blamed 'lapses' by Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC). CESC certainly has questions to answer about maintenance. But a state government - and a public culture - which tolerates 'stealing lines' and 'pulling feed' reveals how we undervalue lives of our own citizens out of sheer callousness in the name of 'jugaad' and cutting corners.

Kolkata is far from unique in this aspect. Between 2011 and 2020, around 1.1 lakh people died from electrocution in India. This translates to nearly 11,000 deaths a year, or 30 fatalities every day. Such deaths have increased 50% from 8,945 in 2011 to 13,446 in 2020. Madhya Pradesh accounted for 2,412 fatalities in 2020, nearly a fifth of the total, followed by Maharashtra (1,499) and UP (1,347).

Most deaths are 'accidental', linked to unsafe wiring, illegal connections, and kite-flying with metallic strings near power lines. While underground cabling - a standard safety measure in other countries - is costly, the least power utilities can do is properly maintain existing infra, with the state actively monitoring compliance. Otherwise, citizens' lives in our urban sprawls are left hanging by a thread. Or worse, a wire, exposed to hazards that could easily be prevented.