A 66-year-old woman was electrocuted on Saturday morning while trying to open the iron gates of her shop in waterlogged Sarsuna, on the southwestern fringes of the city.

Around 7.30am, Srabanti Devi arrived at her grocery store on Talpukur Road in Khudiram Pally, wading through stagnant water that had accumulated since Tuesday’s torrential rain. As she touched the shop’s gates, she screamed and collapsed. Two bystanders who rushed to help were injured.

She was taken to Vidyasagar State General Hospital, where she was declared dead.

Local councillor Ghanasree Bag told Metro: “The family had installed a light outside the shop, drawing a connection from the mains. But it appears the wire was
not adequately insulated, and that resulted in the electrocution.”

“This area faces waterlogging every year. Pumps have been installed to drain the water, but some of it remained, flooding the road in front of the house,” she added.

CESC officials confirmed that the electrocution occurred due to faulty wiring of a light fitted on the tin roof of the shop, adjacent to her house.

“The wire connected to the mains of the house wasn’t adequately insulated and was carrying electricity. The victim was standing in water and got electrocuted when she came into contact with it,” said Avijit Ghosh, executive director, CESC. “The connection to the mains has been snapped after the incident.”

A senior officer of Kolkata Police’s southwest division said: “We have recorded the statements of CESC officials and family members of the deceased. A case of unnatural death has been drawn up at Sarsuna police station.”

Residents said the floodwater from Tuesday’s downpour — Calcutta’s heaviest in 40 years — had not drained in four days. At least nine people were electrocuted that day in localities including Ballygunge Place, Beniapukur, Behala, Haridevpur, Mominpore, and Netaji Nagar. This brings the toll to 11.

Srabanti, originally from Bihar, lived in Khudiram Pally — in Ward 126 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation — with her husband and children. Her sons work as drivers, neighbours said.

Talpukur Road leads to a panchayat area and lacks a proper drainage system. Khudiram Pally, once farmland, is now a relatively new residential pocket.

“There are plans to start an underground drainage system in this part of Sarsuna, covering three wards including Khudiram Pally, under the Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Programme (KEIIP),” councillor Bag said. “But no timeline has been drawn up for when the project will start.”

Currently, rainwater is manually pumped into the Kalagachia canal, which drains into the Chorial canal.

Srabanti’s death has sparked panic among locals, who now fear similar incidents, especially with children walking through flooded roads during the festive season.