A fruitseller and his mother died of suspected electrocution in Jalpaiguri on Sunday morning, police said.
Tinku Roy, 32, and his mother Nanibala, 55, were residents of Adarpara in Ward 11 of Jalpaiguri town.
Tinku is survived by his wife Anita and two minor children.
On Saturday evening, there was no electricity in Tinku’s house. He alerted the local centre of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited about the problem. Around 10pm, the supply was restored.
One of the rooms of their house has a tin roof. Nanibala, along with her granddaughter, used to sleep in that room.
On Sunday morning, after she tried to open the door of the room, which is also made of tin sheets, she got electrocuted, police said. Nanibala screamed and fell on the floor. Tinku heard her cry and rushed to help her. He, too, got electrocuted.
After Anita saw her husband and mother-in-law lying on the floor, she called her neighbours. They, in turn, informed the fire services department, the police and the WBSEDCL.
A team from Jalpaiguri fire station disconnected the power supply and took the two to the Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital, where they were declared dead.
Officials of WBSEDCL said a power cable was drawn from Tinku’s room to his mother’s room. The cable was old and its insulation had worn off.
“A portion of this cable came in contact with the tinned roof, which led to a short circuit,” said an official.
The police have filed an unnatural death case.