Daijiworld Media Network - Rivona

Rivona, Aug 29: In a tragic incident, two brothers, Rajendra Gaonkar (40) and Mohandas Gaonkar (46), lost their lives due to electrocution in Rivona, Sanguem, on Wednesday night after coming into contact with a live wire installed illegally to keep animals away.

According to police, the farmers had left home around 3 pm to collect grass for their cattle. Their tempo was later found half-filled with grass, while their bodies were discovered nearly 1 km away from their house. One brother is believed to have first touched the live wire, while the other died while attempting to rescue him. Heavy rains and waterlogging are suspected to have worsened the impact.

Police and electricity department officials rushed to the spot. A lineman disconnected the power supply to the property. An engineer confirmed that while power had been sanctioned for an agricultural pump, it was illegally diverted to electrify a fence. “This is not permitted. Only solar fencing is allowed, which does not endanger human or animal life,” he clarified.

Sanguem MLA and Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai also visited the site around midnight. He noted that the victims had burn injuries on their hands and legs and that one died trying to save the other. The grieving family discovered the bodies after a search in the forest area when the brothers did not return home.

Police have registered a case of unnatural deaths, and postmortem examinations are expected to be carried out on Friday. Further investigation is underway.