Alappuzha: Sarala (61), a resident of Pallippad, died while trying to save her friend from electrocution at Haripad on Sunday.

The incident occurred around 11.30 am when Sarala and her friend Sreelatha were working at a paddy field.

According to the FIR, Sreelatha suffered an electric shock after she came in contact with a severed stay wire of an electricity post at the bund of the paddy field. Seeing her friend in distress, Sarala rushed to help but was electrocuted.

Police said locals who witnessed the incident switched off the power supply and rushed both women to the Haripad government hospital.

Sarala was declared dead at the hospital, while Sreelatha remains in critical condition.

The body of the deceased will be handed over to her relatives after the postmortem, Hapripad Police said.

Residents in the area alleged that the Electricity Board had delayed repairing the severed stay wire, leading to the tragic incident.