Kollam: A three-member family that usually pays around ₹1,200 a month for electricity was left stunned after receiving a bill close to ₹ 1 lakh, a shock that left the woman of the household ill and hospitalised.

Subhash and his wife Anita, residents of Rohini at Perappayam, were issued an electricity bill of ₹90,586 by the Ayoor section of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), with February 10 set as the deadline for payment. The bill showed a consumption of 8,827 units over a two-month period for their household, which has only a single-phase connection.

A few days earlier, when a KSEB staff member arrived to take the meter reading, he noticed a discrepancy and left without issuing the bill. The following day, two linemen and an official visited the house to inspect the meter.

When the family sought clarification regarding the amount payable, officials informed them that the bill could be close to ₹1 lakh. On hearing this, Anita developed uneasiness and was immediately taken to a private hospital in Poorad, where she was given first aid. Doctors attributed her condition to fluctuations in blood pressure.

According to Subhash, the KSEB staff who visited the house advised the family to approach officials at the Ayoor electricity office for further clarification.