Woman, child killed in fire

A woman and her six-month-old son were killed in a fire mishap in their makeshift shed near Ragigudda slum area in JP Nagar, Friday morning. The JP Nagar police identified the dead as Nisha, 21, and Tahir.

Nisha’s husband, Hussain alias Babu, a painter, was away with his other child when the incident occurred. The couple from Andhra Pradesh migrated to the City some years ago and lived in a shanty near Ragigudda.

Police said the incident took place at around 11 am, probably when Nisha was boiling milk on the electric stove while Tahir was playing nearby.

As her attention was on her son, she did not notice the milk overflowing on the stove that led to short-circuit. The kerosene container kept nearby fuelled the flames which engulfed the mother and son, police said. Neighbours who noticed the flames, cut the power connection, dragged the two out and rushed them to the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences. But doctors declared them dead on arrival.

A police officer investigating the incident alleged that the slum dwellers were drawing electricity illegally and Bescom officials had turned a blind eye to power thefts.

Suicide suspected

Police said they would seek an explanation from the Bescom for not initiating action against those indulging in power thefts. However, the Bescom authorities say the incident could be a case of suicide.

An assistant executive engineer said the Bescom was aware of the massive power thefts and often disconnected connections. But the slum dwellers only repeated the offence, he added.

Residents agitated over the mishap refuted the charges of the Bescom officials and claimed that the power company employees collected nearly Rs 25,000 a month from the slum dwellers for drawing power illegally.