Four from western district among six dead at election booths

According to her family, she was very disturbed because she was not able to vote, a duty she had been proudly doing for the last 50 years. She reportedly found that her name was removed from the voters’ list and she had tried arguing with the poll officials without success. She came back home dejected and died of suspected heart attack.  

Meanwhile, four elderly persons died while casting votes in separate incidents in Coimbatore, Salem and Erode districts.

Seventy-six-year-old Krishnan, an AIADMK worker from near Omalur in Salem reached the polling booth at a noon meal center in Vedapatti around 10 am.  

“After casting his vote, Krishnan came out of the booth and suddenly swooned. On receiving information, the 108 ambulance staff arrived and found him dead already,” police said.  He is survived by his wife Rathinammal, 68, and three sons Murugesan, 51, Selvam, 42 and Govindan 37.

In Erode, Murugesan, 66, from Sivagiri area had gone to the Government Boys Higher Secondary School to exercise his franchise around 8.15 am. “After a brief wait in the line, Murugesan collapsed at the polling booth. 

He was immediately rushed to Sivagiri Government Hospital. However doctors declared him as brought dead,” police said. He is survived by his wife Kanakambal, a son and daughter.

In a similar incident, Balakrishnan, 81, from Gandhi Managar in Coimbatore swooned at the polling booth. He was then taken to a private hospital, but was found dead already.

Sixty-eight-year-old Chandrabose, a retired teacher from Shanmuga Nagar in Annadanapatty in Salem accompanied his son to the polling booth in Line Medu area in a bike. While entering the booth, Chandrabose swooned and died.

In Vellore district, Thulasi, 80, of Ananthalai village near Wallajahpet suffered a heart attack at the polling booth She succumbed on the way to hospital. Ranipet sub-collector and assistant election officer K Ilambagavath paid his respects to the departed octogenarian at her home.