The 53-year-old bird trapping enthusiast died instantly when his modified pole contacted high-voltage cables while pursuing his hobby in Kampung Bukit Tok Chom, Pendang.
August 27, 2025
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
A 53-year-old man died from electrocution while trying to catch birds using a modified pole that came into contact with high-voltage power lines in Kedah on Tuesday (26 August).
Sahrulnizam Ramli from Kampung Hujung Ketun was found dead at the scene in Kampung Bukit Tok Chom, Pendang, with severe burns across his body.
Pendang District Police Chief Superintendent Rodzi Abu Hassan said members of the public discovered the victim’s body and alerted authorities.
Police received a report from the public who found the body of a man with burns all over his body lying on the ground. Investigating officers who arrived at the scene examined the victim’s body and found no signs of criminal activity.
Police found a modified pole used for bird trapping still caught on the high-voltage electrical cable that caused the fatal shock, while the victim’s Modenas Kriss motorcycle was discovered nearby.
Social media posts showed the victim’s motorcycle parked in tall grass near power lines, with images of the electrical cables visible overhead.https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpenangkini%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0TRWZw6mSJmrmL2x2ixpq5VEYgxT6wge84wFPjcBm4kQMAtNVtwPx7EMiQUoHHQtEl&show_text=true&width=500
Public Reaction Mixed
The tragedy raised questions on social media about bird trapping practices, a popular pastime in rural Malaysia.
While many offered condolences, some criticised the hobby as harmful to wildlife.
“Please don’t catch birds… they have children to feed. They should be free,” wrote one Facebook user, urging people to release any caged birds at home.
Others in the bird trapping community warned about safety precautions, particularly avoiding electrical cables during rainy weather when lightning strikes are more likely.
One commenter noted similar incidents involving farm machinery coming into contact with power lines in the same area in previous years.
Police have classified the case as a sudden death with no criminal elements.
Why Birds Are Safe on Power Lines
Several commenters pointed out the scientific reason why birds can safely perch on electrical wires, while humans touching them with poles face deadly consequences.
Birds are safe because they only touch one wire at a time and don’t provide a path for electricity to flow to the ground.
Their bodies don’t complete an electrical circuit since they’re not simultaneously touching the wire and the ground or another wire.
However, when humans use metal poles or other conductive materials to reach power lines, they create a pathway for electricity to flow through their bodies to the ground, resulting in electrocution.
The length of fishing rods or bird-catching poles also increases the risk of accidentally bridging the gap between different electrical conductors.
“This is basic physics – birds don’t get shocked because they’re not grounded,” explained one commenter.
But when you’re standing on the ground holding a long pole that touches the wire, you become the path for the electricity.
Exposing the Big Game 