MP man dies after spit from third-floor balcony hits high-tension line

Vidisha: A 65-year-old man died after the gutka he spat from his third-floor balcony came in contact with an 11 kV high-tension power line in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district, according to a report.

The incident occurred on Friday, October 23, when Prabhulal Gupta was standing on the balcony of his rented house. The stream of saliva reportedly touched the overhead wire, leaving him with severe burns, the Times of India reported.

Gupta, a mason, had been living in the house for the past 10 years.

Residents alleged that the electricity company had ignored repeated complaints that the wires were passing too close to buildings. Gupta’s landlord said the power lines, poles and transformers in the area were in poor condition.

Electrical experts said such an accident was possible if a continuous stream of fluid reached a live conductor. They said an 11 kV line could produce an electrical arc under certain conditions, and electricity could jump through the air if the balcony was close enough to the wire. If an electrical path is formed through the body, the resulting shock can cause severe burns or death, experts said.