Alapuzha:
A twin tragedy struck a family when a 25-year-old man was electrocuted within minutes of lighting his mother's funeral pyre at a village in the district.
Sandeep of Cheriyanad village received an electric shock from a pedestal fan kept near the funeral pyre of his mother Sarala (47), who died of cancer.
Later in the evening, his funeral also took place close to the pyre of his mother.
According to Sandeep's relatives, the fan was kept close to the fire to fan the flames since there was dampness in the air due to recurrent rains.
After consigning his mother's body to the flames, Sandeep moved the fan a bit only to receive an electric shock and fell dead on the spot. Though he was rushed to a hospital by relatives, he died en route.
Sandeep, who was working in the Gulf, had come home after his mother's condition worsened last month. He went back after a slight improvement in her health.
His mother died earlier this week and the funeral was postponed till yesterday for Sandeep to come back, relatives said.