An 11-year-old girl named Tanishka tragically died on June 10 after suffering a fatal electric shock from a live power pole near her home in Narayanaghatta village, Anekal Taluk, on Bengaluru’s outskirts. The incident occurred during school holidays when children were playing outside.
Tanishka was rushed to Best Hospital in critical condition but succumbed to her injuries. Her grieving parents and local residents have blamed alleged negligence by the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) for failing to maintain safe electrical infrastructure.
BESCOM, however, has denied responsibility, stating that the streetlights were installed and maintained by the village panchayat. The Suryacity Police have registered a case, and an official investigation is underway amid growing public outrage demanding accountability from power officials.
Tragedy Strikes Amidst School Holidays
Tanishka, a bright and lively fifth-grade student, was enjoying her school holidays when the tragedy struck. She was playing near an electric pole just a few metres from her house in Narayanaghatta village when she accidentally came into contact with exposed live wires.
Eyewitnesses say she collapsed instantly, prompting frantic efforts by neighbours to rush her to Best Hospital in Anekal. Despite doctors’ best efforts, she could not be saved. Her parents, Sampangi and Manjula, were inconsolable, expressing their anguish and frustration at what they described as “gross negligence” by BESCOM.
Villagers echoed their grief and anger, revealing that they had repeatedly complained about exposed wires and faulty poles to the electricity department, but no remedial action was taken.
A Pattern of Negligence and Conflicting Accountability
This heartbreaking incident is part of a disturbing pattern of electrocution accidents in Bengaluru’s outskirts over recent years. Similar deaths, including a woman and her infant daughter in November 2023 and another woman in March 2025, were also linked to poorly maintained electrical infrastructure.
In Tanishka’s case, BESCOM officials have stated that the streetlights involved are the responsibility of the Narayanaghatta village panchayat, not BESCOM. However, locals argue that BESCOM, as the power distributor, must ensure the safety of all electrical installations in its jurisdiction.
The Suryacity Police have registered a case and are coordinating with the electricity department, which has dispatched a team to inspect the site. Despite these steps, the community remains deeply distrustful of official assurances, demanding stricter safety protocols and clearer lines of accountability.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Tanishka’s tragic death is a painful reminder of the urgent need for systemic reforms in public safety and infrastructure management. It exposes the dangerous consequences of bureaucratic ambiguity and neglect, where responsibility is passed between agencies while vulnerable citizens, especially children, pay the ultimate price.
The Logical Indian calls for transparent investigations, prompt remedial action, and a collaborative approach between electricity providers, local governance bodies, and communities to prevent such avoidable tragedies. Safety must never be compromised, and authorities must prioritise protecting lives over shifting blame.
