A youth, who had reached Tamil Nadu's Paramkudi on Saturday, September 10, to pay respects to iconic Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran, suffered burn injuries and was electrocuted to death while he was trying to wave a flag from atop a train engine he had climbed, police said. The 22-year-old youth, later identified as Vijay, was electrocuted when the pole of his flag came in contact with the overhead power lines.
Though Vijay was immediately taken to a government hospital in Paramakudi, he succumbed to burn injuries. According to a Times of India report, the Rameswaram-Tiruchy diesel locomotive had arrived at around 10.15 am, on which Vijay climbed along with a few other protesters. However, when the flag that Vijay was carrying came into contact with a 25kV OverHead Electric Line, he got electrocuted. He was taken to a GH (General Hospital) in Paramakudi first and then shifted to Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital for further treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.
September 11 is the death anniversary of Immanuel Sekaran and people from all walks of life reach Paramkudi to pay respects to the late Dalit leader at his memorial. Senior political leaders from all parties, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son and DMK youth leader Udaynidhi Stalin, had reached Paramkudi on Sunday morning to pay respects to Sekaran.
Police and railway officials told IANS that a few youths barged into the Paramkudi railway station and Vijay came forward and jumped on top of the engine of the Tiruchi-Rameswaram Express train that had just reached the railway station. Later, the station was brought under security cover to prevent any other untoward incidents, according to reports.
(With IANS inputs)