ERODE: A 50-year-old farmer was dragged into the water and died while trying to open the sluice gate by himself in Kalingarayan Canal in Erode on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Palanisamy (50), of Panapalayam near Kodumudi in Erode.
According to sources, Palanisamy, a farmer, had agricultural land under the Kalingarayan irrigation system. Currently, water has been released from the Lower Bhavani Dam into the Kalingarayan Canal for irrigation purposes.
On Thursday, the water resources department closed the sluice gates near the upper parts of the canal to ensure water reaches the tail-end areas.
Palanisamy allegedly opened the sluice, which was closed with a sack, without obtaining permission from the WRD and was swept away. He also sustained severe injuries after his head struck a cement pipe fitted to the sluice and was killed on the spot. On information, Kodumudi police reached the spot and recovered Palanisamy's body after a brief struggle and sent it to the Kodumudi government hospital.
A case has been registered, and further inquiries are on.