Chennai, Aug 23, 2025: A tragic incident unfolded in Chennai early Saturday morning (August 23, 2025), as a sanitation worker employed by the Greater Chennai Corporation was electrocuted while on duty in the city’s Kannagi Nagar locality.
The victim, identified as R. Varalakshmi, 45, was deployed for street cleaning at around 5 a.m. after heavy rains had lashed several districts, including Chennai, overnight. The rain caused severe waterlogging across many areas. While performing her cleaning work, Varalakshmi inadvertently stepped into a puddle that concealed a live electric wire fallen across 11th Street due to the storm. She was immediately electrocuted. Hearing her screams, co-workers and locals rushed to her aid and she was moved to a nearby hospital, but she was declared “brought dead” by doctors.
Residents and local activists expressed outrage over the tragedy, highlighting long-standing complaints regarding exposed and dangling power lines in the area and poor drainage infrastructure. Many said the fatal accident could have been prevented had civic authorities acted promptly on previous reports of hazardous conditions.
Jayaram Venkatesan, a social activist, blamed institutional negligence for the accident and called upon the Tamil Nadu government to grant a compensation of ₹1 crore to Varalakshmi’s family, citing her death occurred while serving the city. The incident has reignited demands for rigorous safety audits, proper protective equipment, and insurance coverage for sanitation workers who risk their lives in hazardous environments, especially during such weather emergencies.
Police have registered a case and initiated an inquiry. The event has led to renewed appeals for the Corporation and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board to inspect and secure all exposed power lines in waterlogged areas to prevent further tragedies.This incident underscores the urgent need for improved worker safety standards and civic accountability in Chennai’s rapidly urbanizing neighborhoods.