13-year-old killed erecting DMK flag at pvt event, no arrests yet

Dinesh, a 13-year-old boy was electrocuted to death on August 20, Friday in Rahim Layout, Villupuram while setting up DMK flags for a party leader who was to attend a wedding in the neighbourhood. On the morning of the wedding, the youngster who was studying in the 9th standard, was at home because of the lockdown and took work erecting flags for the occasion. As Minister K Ponmudy was to be in attendance, local DMK cadres hired a small agency to decorate the road near the wedding hall on Villupuram Mambalapati Road for his arrival. A live electric wire fell on Dinesh while he was attempting to put up a party flag, killing him. Even though the DMK leadership have said they have forbidden the erection of cut-outs and flags, on ground many party cadres and even leaders continue to do it. Further, neither police nor municipal permission was taken by the cadres to put up the flags.

 

After the death of R Subashree in 2019, a 23-year-old software engineer, from an illegal AIADMK hoarding collapsing on her, the DMK had promised to eradicate the banner-culture popular in the state when it came to power.

 

In the case of young Dinesh, the live wire fell on him and the resultant shock threw him off his feet. He was rushed to the hospital but declared dead on arrival. Following the accident, the police have opened a case and a death certificate has been issued citing electrocution as the cause of death. The boy’s parents did not want to take police action at the time of reporting. The wedding went on to take place according to schedule the same evening of the death and Minister Ponmudi attemded as a guest. 

 

Questions have been raised on why a child was allowed to take up such a dangerous job by the agency, none of whom have been reportedly named in the FIR.

 

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