VIRUDHUNAGAR: Two girls, aged nine and four, were crushed to death after an iron gate along with its gate post collapsed on them while they were playing at the entrance of a house in Konkalapuram near Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district on Saturday.
The victims were identified as R. Kamalika (9) of Konkalapuram and her cousin Rishika (4) of Sankarankovil.
The incident occurred at the house owned by Kamalika’s parents, Rajamani and Rajeswari. Immediately after the gate collapsed, the girls were pulled out from under the debris and rushed to a private hospital.
They were later taken to the Sivakasi Government Hospital, where doctors declared them dead. The bodies were subsequently sent for post-mortem examination.
Police said the iron gate and the gate post had been installed at the house a few years ago. Rishika had come to Konkalapuram along with her brother Nishanth (6) for the half-yearly school holidays. Rishika is the daughter of Dhanalakshmi, Rajeswari’s sister, who resides in Sankarankovil.
Rajeswari’s other child, Kavin (11), and Nishanth were also present at the house at the time of the incident.
Rajeswari is a constable attached to the Sivakasi All Women Police Station. Sivakasi Town police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.