Electricity-related accidents killed over 18,000 people in India in 2023. Electrocution is the primary reason followed by lightning and electrical fire (Chart 1).
Over the years, electrical fatality rate — the number of deaths per lakh population — has risen (Chart 2). In 2023, at least one person per lakh population died due to electrical accidents in India. In Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S., the electrical fatality rate was between 0.01 and 0.04.
Among States, the four-year average electrical fatality rate varied widely, ranging from as low as 0.2 in some States to as high as 2.6 in others (Map 3).
Until 2013, the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report showed the break-up of electrical deaths in more than 50 megacities. In 2013, around 13% of the total electrical deaths in India occurred in megacities (Table 4). These cities also had a higher proportion of deaths due to electrical fires (~25%) and a comparatively smaller share of deaths from shocks (~11%).
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According to the Chief Electrical Inspectorate, in 2025, 61% of accidents occurred in distribution networks, followed by non-industrial consumer premises at 30% (Chart 5).
Given that most accidents occurred at the distribution level, we examined data from select distribution companies (DISCOMs). DISCOMs reported that more than 90% of the victims were general public (Table 6).
Most accidents in 2025 occurred due to accidental contact with live wire (35%) and neglect in safety measures or lack of supervision (15%). This shows poor attention to safety by the DISCOMs and low awareness among the public.
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