A young couple died after being electrocuted at Sonarpur, on the southern fringes of the city, on Thursday morning.

The landlord of the house and his 65-year-old mother were injured trying to save the couple.

The couple, Kalu Behera, 30, and his wife Arati, 22, lived in a rented flat at Kalitala, in the Kalibazar area. Kalu was a small-time trader in electrical goods. The couple had shifted to the flat a year ago with their year-old son.

Originally from Midnapore, they had taken the house on rent as Kalu was planning to start his business in the city.

Around 10 am on Thursday, Arati was hanging her sari to dry, when it came in contact with a metal wire fixed to an electrical post close to the house. A neighbour said Arati used the wire as a clothesline every day.

?But today, as soon as she touched the wire, Arati was electrocuted and she started to scream. Her husband, who was playing with the child, rushed out of the room,? the neighbour said. While trying to save his wife, Kalu himself was electrocuted.

Their landlord, Nepal Naskar, came out of his room and tried to rescue the couple that was writhing in pain. But he, too, was electrocuted.

Nepal?s mother Pratima, who had rushed to save the three, also got entangled.

Several residents helped separate the electrocuted persons from the wire by using a bamboo pole.

They were taken to hospital, where the couple was pronounced dead. Later, Pratima and her son were shifted to a nursing home. The woman was discharged in the evening.

Doctors of the nursing home said Nepal?s condition was critical. ?He is being kept in the intensive care unit and we will have to wait for 24 hours before making any statement,? a doctor at the nursing home said.

Kamal Ganguly, chairman of Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality, said they would approach the local state electricity board (SEB) office to ensure that proper measures are taken to avoid such accidents.

A senior officer of the SEB said the department was not at fault. ?The SEB must take up awareness campaigns,? municipal chairman Ganguly stated. Members of Arati?s family have taken away the child.