CHENNAI: In a freak accident, a 13-year-old girl died after her hair got entangled in a generator placed on an ox cart during a temple festival in Kancheepuram district on Sunday. The victim was identified as S Lavanya from Vitchanthangal village, a Class 7 student at a government school.
The police said Lavanya had lost her mother three years ago and her father Saravanan lives in Chennai, where he is employed. Lavanya and her younger brother Bhuvanesh (9) lived with their grandparents, Kandeepan and Latha. Kandeepan is a village elder, said sources.
On Sunday night, there was a temple festival in the village. “While the deity was being pulled in a chariot by people, an ox cart with a diesel generator on it was placed at the rear end of the chariot. Children gathered around the generator,” said a police officer.
At around 10 pm, Lavanya who was seated near the generator got her hair entangled in the generator. “The crowd did not hear Lavanya’s cries for help due to the loudspeakers. Later, the generator died, switching off the lights in the cart. People then heard the screams and rushed in to help,” said the police.
Lavanya was rushed to a nearby private hospital and then shifted to Kancheepuram Government Hospital. Lavanya had sustained serious head injuries, said the police. On Monday, Lavanya succumbed to injuries. Magaral police registered a case and sent the body for postmortem.
The police arrested generator operator Munusamy and later released him on station bail. People from nearby villages attended the funeral of Lavanya on Tuesday. According to the villagers, Lavanya was good in her studies and had won accolades in competitions.