The plaintiffs in O.S. No. 321 of 1991 on the file of the Sub Court, Kottayam are the appellants in this appeal. The said suit was one for realisation of a sum of Rs.75,000/-as damages.

2. The case of the plaintiffs can be summarised as follows:-

The 1st plaintiff is the widow and plaintiffs 2 to 5 are the children of one Sivaraman who died on 17.01.1990 due to electric shock from the link-pipe on the 11 K.V transformer installed in the rubber estate of one Pazhayaparambil Hajiyar situated by the side of Pattimattom - Poothakuzhy road. The said Sivaraman was going for work along the said road at about 7.30 a.m. on 17.01.1990. When he reached near the transformer, he saw one Abdul Salam crying for help as the latter was seen trapped near the link-pipe at the bottom of the transformer. Seeing Abdul Salam struggling, Sivaraman rushed to the spot and caught hold of him with a view to rescue him from the live link -pipe. Thereupon, both of them fell down on account of electric shock. Both were taken to the Mary Queens Hospital, Kanjirappally. But at 8.30 a.m., Sivaraman succumbed to the shock and injuries sustained by him. Abdul Salam, however, survived. The incident took plac