COIMBATORE: The eyes of a 22-year-old Kabaddi player who collapsed and died during a tournament in Coimbatore on Saturday were donated to the ESI hospital on Sunday.
Sources said that the deceased Manikandan (22), a resident of Thilagar Street in Seeranaickenpalayam near PN Pudur in Coimbatore was a Kabaddi player. He had completed his physical education training and was waiting for a government physical education teacher job also played for a team ‘Ilam Singam’. He also played as the right arch player for the Coimbatore district team in the state-level tournament.
Sources added that as Manikandan and his team took part in the Senior Championship Kabaddi Tournament conducted by the Coimbatore District Kabaddi Association at Kovaipudur on Saturday afternoon, the team was preparing for the match and Manikandan was waiting in the lobby when he suddenly collapsed. Though the organisers immediately rushed him to Sundakkamuthur Government Hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. Later, his body was shifted to ESI hospital for postmortem. Awaiting autopsy reports, Manikandan’s parents donated his eyes hoping that it would help people in need.
Official sources said that after the donation, the hospital authorities handed the body over to the family with full honour. Later, the body was cremated at the corporation crematorium at Bommanampalayam near Vadavalli on Sunday evening. However, the cause of death is unknown.