Kalaburagi-based GESCOM has spent ₹228.76 crore between 2015 and November 2025 to prevent such accidents. Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
Despite years of safety measures and heavy expenditure, electrical accidents remain a persistent threat in the jurisdiction of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM), resulting in 1,166 deaths and 867 non-fatal injuries over the past decade (from 2015 to 2025), according to official figures.
According to data available with The Hindu, there have been 1,166 deaths, 867 non-fatal injuries and 2,588 livestock deaths in the last decade, underscoring the ongoing security risks posed by electrical infrastructure in both urban and rural areas.
Despite spending ₹ 228.76 crore as capital expenditure to prevent such accidents between 2015 and November 2025, the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents has not shown any significant decline over the years.
The highest number of human deaths was reported in 2020–2021 with 130 deaths, followed by 114 deaths in 2019–20 and 100 deaths in 2021–22.
The number of non-fatal cases has remained consistently high, indicating that a large number of people continue to be exposed to electrical hazards.
Livestock deaths also remain a major concern, with 277 animals killed in 2023–24 and 275 in 2020–21, reflecting the vulnerability of rural energy distribution systems.
Interestingly, GESCOM recorded the highest expenditure of ₹ 20.69 crore on accident prevention in 2015–16, but subsequent years continued to witness a high number of accidents.
The data suggest that increased spending has not translated into commensurate improvements in safety outcomes.
Social activist Deepak Gala, who is also the president of the Hyderabad Karnataka Environment Awareness and Protection Organisation, pointed out that factors such as dilapidated infrastructure, lack of maintenance, unprotected lines and lack of regular safety audits are possible reasons for the constant occurrence of such accidents.
Published – 04 Feb 2026 20:56 IST
