NAMAKKAL: An 18-year-old engineering student, G Harshavardhan, died and another youth sustained serious injuries after they got trapped between the massive wheel of a temple chariot and a wall during the annual festival of the Arthanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode on Sunday.
The tragic accident occurred during the grand chariot procession held as part of the temple’s Vaikasi Visakam celebrations. This year’s festival was highly significant as the newly built temple chariot was being rolled out and used for the very first time. According to eyewitnesses and administrative officials, the chariot had been stationed near a wall before the grand procession officially commenced. When enthusiastic devotees started pulling the heavy ropes of the chariot, it unexpectedly rolled backward and drifted sideways.
The sudden and unexpected movement drastically reduced the gap between the moving chariot wheel and the nearby wall, trapping two youths who were standing in the narrow space between them. One of them, Harshavardhan of Tiruchengode, a first-year engineering student, suffered severe crush injuries after being tightly pinned between the giant wheel and the wall. Witnesses noted that the youth remained trapped in that position for nearly five minutes as desperate devotees and officials struggled to move the massive wooden chariot and create enough space to safely rescue him.
After he was pulled out, Harshavardhan was found completely unconscious. He was immediately rushed to the Tiruchengode Government Hospital (GH), where he was given emergency first aid before being referred to the Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. However, he soon succumbed to his severe injuries. Doctors reported that he had suffered extensive internal bleeding, widespread crush injuries, and irreversible damage to his vital organs. Another youth, G Sashtigan (19) of Tiruchengode, who was standing right nearby, also sustained serious injuries and is currently undergoing intensive treatment at a private hospital in Coimbatore.
Following the tragic incident, Chief Minister Vijay expressed his deepest condolences to the grieving family members of Harshavardhan and announced a financial solatium of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. The Chief Minister also directly instructed the medical officials to ensure that specialised treatment is provided for Sashtigan and to closely monitor his recovery phase.
ലഘു വിവരണം
തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലെ നാമക്കൽ തിരുച്ചെെങ്കോട് അർത്ഥനാരീശ്വരർ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെ രഥോത്സവത്തിനിടെയുണ്ടായ അപകടത്തിൽ എഞ്ചിനീയറിംഗ് വിദ്യാർത്ഥിയായ ജി. ഹർഷവർദ്ധൻ (18) മരണപ്പെട്ടു. വലിച്ച് തുടങ്ങിയ രഥം അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായി പിന്നോട്ട് ഉരുണ്ട് വശങ്ങളിലേക്ക് നീങ്ങിയപ്പോൾ ചക്രത്തിനും സമീപത്തെ മതിലിനുമിടയിൽ രണ്ട് യുവാക്കൾ കുടുങ്ങുകയായിരുന്നു. പരിക്കേറ്റ ജി. ശഷ്ടിഗൻ (19) എന്ന യുവാവ് ആശുപത്രിയിൽ ചികിത്സയിലാണ്. മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി വിജയ് മരിച്ച യുവാവിന്റെ കുടുംബത്തിന് 5 ലക്ഷം രൂപ ധനസഹായം പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു.
(With inputs from TNIE)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com