Chennai: An AIADMK supporter died after the party's giant flagpole fell on him near Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district on Thursday. The flagpole near the national highway was reportedly inaugurated by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami who also hoisted the party flag on the pole a few months back.
According to a report on DT Next, the flagpole on an NH near Madurantakam got damaged in the impact of Cyclone Mandous.
Hence, work was carried out to repair the damaged pole on Thursday. While the flag was being replaced with a crane on Thursday, the pole uprooted and fell on AIADMK supporter Chellapan.
Chellapan was immediately rushed to Maduranthakam Government Hospital but he was declared dead, as per a report on The News Minute.
Following this, the police registered a case and sent the body for post-mortem. Further investigations are on.
ALSO READ : National Law University Cancels Lecture By Rajiv Gandhi Case Convict Perarivalan
The flagpole-related deaths have been a cause of concern for the state for several years now. Earlier, even the Madras High Court intervened to stop the untoward incidents.
In 2019, a 23-year-old techie Subhasri Ravi died after she was run over by a water tanker after she fell from her bike when an illegal hoarding erected on the road fell on her in Pallikarani.
The illegal hoarding was erected by an AIADMK functionary for the wedding celebrations of his son on the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam radial road.
A few days after her death, another woman lost her leg after a pole with an AIADMK flag fell on her while she was riding her two-wheeler in Coimbatore.
The woman identified as Anuradha of Singanallur lost her leg after a lorry that came from behind ran over her legs when she lost control of the vehicle while a flagpole fell on her.
In August 2021, a 13-year-old boy Dinesh was electrocuted after a live electric wire fell on him while putting up DMK flags in Villupuram district.