CHENNAI: A young journalist died after he had an accidental fall into an under-construction stormwater drain in the city. The 25-year-old S Muthukrishnan was a content editor with the digital section of the Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai.
He was returning home after work late on Saturday night when he fell into an under-construction stormwater drain near a movie hall at Ashok Nagar. He apparently tried to leap over the trench dug for the drain work but slipped and fell into it. However, he managed to clamber up. He called his friends and informed them about his fall and went home. His friends who went to meet him found him feeling unwell and took him to a nearby clinic.
The doctors at the clinic advised him to hurry to a hospital where they scanning facilities. Eventually he ended up in Royapettah Government Hospital where he was under treatment. But he succumbed at around 3 pm on Sunday evening, said a senior police officer.
"Since there was no external bleeding, Muthukrishnan did not realise the extent of the injury. His condition deteriorated as time went by," the senior officer said.
The MGR Nagar police, who have registered a case and are investigating, said that Muthukrishnan was a native of Puliyangudi in the Tenkasi district.
On Saturday night, after work, at around 12 midnight, he was returning home to Kandanchavadi near Perungudi when he had the fatal fall.
The State Highways Department has taken up the construction work of the drain. The police claim that barricades have been used to alert the people. But because of the difficulties caused by the work, people had mobility issues and had no other option but to move the barricade to help them traverse the area.
The officials with the State Highways Department said they will look into whether the contractor has violated the bidding norms. The officials had the stock reply, "We will look into the issue."
Muthukrishnan was the only son to his parents. He has completed a degree in engineering. He previously worked with the Vikatan Group and Thanthi TV before joining Puthiya Thalaimurai.
Sources at his workplace said that he had recently secured a government job and was waiting for the order to join. Police sources, however, said that he was preparing for competitive exams.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday evening condoled the death of Muthukrishnan and announced a solatium of Rs. 5 lakhs to his family. Of the total, Rs. 2 lakhs come from CM's Public Relief Fund and Rs 3 lakhs from The Journalist Family Benefit Fund.
(With inputs from B Anbuselvan and S Kumaresan)