Representative image showing electrocution sign.
Credit: iStock Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: A 68-year-old farmer died of a suspected electric shock from a trap set-up for wild boars.
The deceased has been identified as Sivankutty Pillai of Thamarakkulam. The police have taken Johnson (61) of the locality into custody, on charges of setting the electric fence.
According to local sources, Pillai was found unconscious at a farm at Koduvara on Monday morning and rushed to a hospital. An electric fence was set up at a tapioca farm to prevent wild boars from damaging the crops. Pillai is suspected to have suffered an electric shock from the fence.
Last week a 15-year-old boy, identified as Ananthu alias Jithu, died after suffering an electric shock from a trap that was set up targeting wild boars at Nilambur in Malappuram.
The incident had triggered a strong protest in the bypoll bound region as man-animal conflict is a key issue there.