CHENNAI: A 56-year-old man died minutes after he fell into a huge pothole covered with rainwater at Kodambakkam on Wednesday morning. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was found to have already succumbed.
Police said the deceased, Narasimhan, had a history of high blood pressure and appears to have suffered a cardiac arrest. While police officers initially said he might have suffered the cardiac arrest due to the shock of the fall, CCTV footage of the incident suggested that he had fainted as he was trying to cross the pothole.
Police said the victim was walking with a friend at around 7.30 am when the incident took place near the Kodambakkam Liberty bridge.
CCTV footage shows that as Narasimhan was trying to cross the pothole covered with water, he struggled a little and fell down flat on the road.
Passersby rushed him to a nearby private hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Narasimhan worked as a driver in a luxury hotel.
The Nungambakkam police registered a case and further investigations are on.
Corporation officials said the preliminary report about the storm water drain manhole being responsible for the death is false. An autopsy is being conducted, they added.