MANCHERIAL – A routine workday turned into a fatal scene on Monday in the Dandepally mandal of Mancherial district, as two daily wage laborers lost their lives in a horrific electrocution accident. The victims, identified as Salla Laxminarayana (also known as Eddanna) from Medaripet and Chandanagari Nagaraju from Velganur, were reportedly moving a tall iron stand near a local petrol pump in Medaripet village when the equipment struck an overhead 11 kV high-tension power line. The massive electrical discharge was instantaneous, claiming both lives on the spot before medical assistance could be summoned.

The incident occurred while the duo, engaged by a local cement trader, was attempting to reposition the heavy iron structure. According to eyewitness accounts and local authorities, a third individual who was assisting with the task narrowly escaped the surge of electricity, emerging from the mishap physically unharmed but visibly shaken. The intensity of the contact left both Laxminarayana and Nagaraju with severe, fatal burns. Dandepalli Sub-Inspector Tahseenuddin confirmed that the bodies were moved to the government hospital in Luxettipet for post-mortem examinations as part of the formal investigative process.

In the wake of the tragedy, the site became a flashpoint for grief and anger. Relatives of the deceased and local community members staged a protest at the scene, demanding immediate accountability and a compensation package of ₹50 lakh for the bereaved families. The protesters highlighted a growing concern over public safety, specifically pointing toward low-hanging high-tension wires and the lack of basic safety protocols for laborers working in hazardous proximity to electrical infrastructure. Local police have registered a case following a formal complaint from the victims' families and are currently investigating whether negligence by the employer or the electricity department contributed to the deaths.

The incident has sparked a broader debate regarding the precarious nature of daily wage labor in rural industrial settings. Digital platforms have been flooded with voices calling for stricter enforcement of occupational safety standards and a permanent solution to the danger posed by sagging power lines in residential and commercial zones. As the community mourns the loss of two primary breadwinners, the outcome of the police inquiry and the administration’s response to the compensation demands are expected to set a critical precedent for worker protections in the region.