COIMBATORE: Family members of a nine-year-old girl, who collapsed to death during rehearsal for a cultural event at Tiruchengode in Namakkal, staged a protest on Tuesday.
The deceased, Rakshita, daughter of Matheswaran and Dhanalakshmi from Goundampalayam village, and studying Class III at Kumaramangalam Panchayat Union Middle School, was rehearsing at a private hall near the school for the cultural events for centenary celebrations, when she suddenly fainted on Sunday.
She was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital and then to the Government Medical College Hospital in Namakkal. Despite intensive treatment, the girl died on Monday.
Police said the girl had reportedly informed her teacher before collapsing that an insect had bitten her on the forehead. Therefore, the parents raised suspicion that Rakshita may have died due to a poisonous insect bite as she developed swelling on her body. However, police suspect the girl died after an epileptic attack. The exact cause of death could be ascertained only based on the post-mortem report, police said.
Following her death, the school cancelled the centenary celebrations. The Tiruchengode police registered a case, and further inquiries are underway. Meanwhile, the family members of the girl staged a road roko protest on the Tiruchengode-Namakkal Road near Kumaramangalam on Tuesday morning to unravel the mystery behind the girl’s sudden demise.
They also sought compensation and a government job for a member of the family.
Soon, the officials of the revenue department and police rushed to the spot and held talks, persuading them to withdraw the protest.