In a tragic incident on Sunday, Krishnaswamy, who accompanied his son Kasthuri Mahalingam to write the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Ernakulam, passed away owing to a heart attack.
According to news reports, the father suffered a cardiac arrest at the accommodation centre in the city. The staff at the accommodation rushed him to the Ernakulam City Hospital.
"Our staff got an autorickshaw for the boy to reach the exam centre in the morning. Later, the father called the reception complaining of ill health and was taken to a hospital," a hotel staffer told IANS over phone from Ernakulam.
Following the tragedy, the Chief Minister's Relief Fund is to provide a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the family. The Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary has also reportedly spoken to her counterpart in Kerala asking to expedite the process of bringing the body back. While a team from Tamil Nadu has been dispatched to Kerala, Krishnasamy’s relatives will take back the body in ambulance this evening.
Stating that Krishnaswamy had died as he did not respond to treatment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami tweeted, "As per my instructions, the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary has contacted the Kerala Chief Secretary and informed him to advise the Ernakulam District Collector Mr Sabullah to provide all help to bring the body of Mr Krishnaswamy to his native town immediately. Accordingly, the Ernakulam District Collector is taking all actions swiftly."
Further, the Chief Minister announced that the TN government will undertake Kasthuri Mahalingam's educational expenses.
Local news in Kerala reported that the state’s police will accompany the body till the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.
Amidst the clamour, some voices have spoken out against the government and blamed the death on the allotment of test centres outside the state for Tamil Nadu candidates.
(This article was first published on The News Minute and has been republished here with permission.)
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