Teen electrocuted in Tamil Nadu while erecting DMK flagpole

In the FIR, it was noted that Lakshmi, Dinesh’s mother, got a call around 2 pm on August 20 that her son got electrocuted and was admitted to a government hospital. The boy, however, passed away before she could reach the hospital.

A case was registered under section 174 CrPC on Saturday. However, no one was named. Following the postmortem, the body of the deceased was handed over to the family.

Local media claimed that the contractor paid an unspecified amount as compensation to the victim’s family. But when contacted by indianexpress.com, Lakshmi denied receiving any monetary compensation and refused to comment further on the issue.

Arappor Iyakkam, a Chennai-based NGO fighting against the banner culture in the state, questioned whether DMK would instruct the police officials to register an FIR against the person who instructed to erect flagpoles.

Expressing shock over the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said he is disappointed with cadres for indulging in these acts despite several warnings. Stalin said it’s time to end the banner culture and a true homage to the victims would be not repeating these acts again.

பேனர் உள்ளிட்ட ஆடம்பரங்களைத் தவிர்க்குமாறு பலமுறை கண்டிப்புடன் வலியுறுத்தியும் ஆங்காங்கே அத்தகைய செயல்கள் தொடர்வது வருத்தமளிக்கிறது. கழகத்தினர் என் வேண்டுகோளைக் கட்டளையாக ஏற்றுச் செயல்படுத்த வேண்டும்.

சிறுவன் தினேஷை இழந்து தவிக்கும் அவரது குடும்பத்தாரின் துயரில் துணைநிற்கிறேன்.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 23, 2021

Following accidents and deaths caused by flex banners and flagpoles, DMK high command in July had issued directions to the party workers not to use them at any event. In a statement, the DMK high command claimed that their leader was the first one to give an undertaking at the court that they will not put up banners.

The DMK leaders on multiple occasions condemned the then ruling AIADMK for advocating the banner culture. They said the banners cause hindrance to traffic, leads to accidents and has claimed lives. The Madras High Court had issued repeated warnings not to erect such flagpoles as they pose a threat to road users.

In 2019, Subashri, a 23-year-old techie, was crushed to death under the wheels of a truck after an illegal hoarding erected on the road’s divider fell on her. In the same year, 30-year-old hotel worker N Rajeshwarai’s legs were crushed by a truck on the Avinashi road when she attempted to manoeuvre an AIADMK flagpole. In 2017, K Raghupathy died in a similar manner when his bike rammed into a temporary wooden hoarding set up by AIADMK cadres for MGR centenary function.