Two workers died of electrocution while erecting party flagpoles ahead of Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s visit to Thanjavur, in an incident that has cast a shadow over the planned political and family events in the district.
The deceased were identified as Karthik and Gokul, both natives of Salem. The accident occurred when preparatory arrangements were underway to welcome the Deputy Chief Minister, who was scheduled to visit the Delta region to unveil a statue of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and attend the wedding of a DMK functionary’s family member.
According to reports, a group of workers had been engaged in installing large party flags and banners near a marriage hall in anticipation of Udhayanidhi Stalin’s arrival. During the process, they were erecting a steel flagpole estimated to be around 30 feet in height when it came into contact with a live wire.
The pole reportedly brushed against the electric wire, resulting in a powerful electric shock that electrocuted Karthik and Gokul on the spot. Bystanders and co-workers rushed the victims to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared them dead on arrival.
The bodies have been sent to Thanjavur Medical College Government Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including safety precautions at the installation site.
The tragedy has caused distress among local party functionaries and residents, while also reviving concerns raised by social observers about recurring accidents linked to the erection of political banners and flagpoles during public events.
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