CHENNAI: A painter died in an under-construction site of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) project in Teynampet on Thursday after construction workers dumped construction debris from the 10th floor, which hit the man painting on the exterior wall.

Police have detained the contractor, Raju and are questioning the workers. The incident happened on Dr Thomas Road.

The contractor, Raju, had engaged two workers -- Dilip and Ramesh of Ramanathapuram district -- for the painting job. Ramesh was painting the exterior wall on the ground floor when the workers dumped construction debris from the 10th floor, unmindful of the painter working below, and the debris hit his head.

He was rushed to Royapettah Government Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed on Friday.

Teynampet police have registered a case and are questioning the project engineer, Sanjay, and the safety engineer, Sudhakar and other workers. The deceased man Ramesh's body was handed over to his family after the autopsy.