On Monday, former AIADMK councillor S Jayagopal, one of the main accused in the death of the 23-year-old techie Subhasri because of an illegal flex banner, was granted conditional bail by the Madras High Court. The same day, a woman’s legs were crushed by a speeding truck when she fell off her scooter after an AIADMK flagpost erected on the side of the road tilted towards her.
“The Coimbatore AIADMK flagpole-related accident hasn’t come to my knowledge yet,” said Tamil Nadu Edappadi Palaniswami. “There is no rule by the court that flagpoles should not be erected,” he added.
Thirty-year-old N Rajeswari alias Anuradha, from Singanallur, is the sole breadwinner of the family and was working in the accounts section of a hotel. The accident occurred at 8:30am on Monday morning at Avinashi Road in Coimbatore.
Family Demands Strict Action
Anuradha’s family members demanded strict action on those responsible for the accident.
Anuradha’s relative told The News Minute,
“She has heavy fracture in one leg and the nerves have been cut in the other leg. She underwent a seven-hour surgery today just to partially redeem the nerves. The doctors have placed her on 48-hour observation to see if there is any infection. They have said that they will proceed with the next surgery to attempt to reconnect the nerves after ensuring there is no infection in the site.”
Investigating ‘the Cause’
A colleague who was at the accident site was called to the police station, where the police allegedly told him not to state the flagpole as the cause of the accident, reported The Hindu. Coimbatore City Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan, however, said they are investigating the cause of the accident, the report said.
An FIR has been registered against the lorry driver for the accident.
A police official confirmed to The News Minute that permissions were sought for erecting flags on the side of the road.
String of ‘Accidents’
It was reported that all the flagpoles were removed soon after the incident.
In 2017, the Madras High Court had issued an order banning banners of living persons and political parties, but parties in the state have continued to put up banners and hoardings in violation of the law.
Back in 2017, an IT professional, Raghu, was run over by a truck, as a makeshift commemorative arch put up by AIADMK fell over him.
Citizens have raised demands in the past that officials boycott functions where huge hoardings are erected.
Court Did Not Ban Erecting Flagpole: Tamil Nadu CM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday , 12 November told the media that he was not aware of an accident involving a 30-year-old woman in Coimbatore and an AIADMK flagpole.
He was speaking to reporters at Salem on Tuesday morning, around 24 hours after a 30-year-old woman came under the wheels of a lorry in Coimbatore after a flagpole allegedly erected by an AIADMK cadre fell on her path.
“I haven’t got information about this (accident). Nobody has told not to erect flagpole. We have not got any order (from court) to not erect flagpole, as far as I know,” he said in response to a question from reporters if he would take action against the person responsible for putting up flagpoles in Coimbatore which allegedly caused the accident.
(With inputs from The Hindu, The News Minute)
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