By IANS
Namakkal (Tamil Nadu) : A 13-year-old Chennai student was reportedly killed in an accident during a fencing practice session here Saturday. He was not wearing the mandatory protective gear and his teenaged fencing partner has been arrested.
According to police, the victim, Baburaj, died of haemorrhage after a thrust from the sword of his 15-year-old classmate Nagaraj pierced through the soft portion under his eye.
The wound was approximately 4 cm deep and had punctured an artery in the base of the skull of the deceased, police said.
“We think that it was a really unusual accident. It was sheer negligence on the part of the boys not to sport protective gear. However, we are foxed by the fact that the metal ball at the tip of the sword is intact. Investigations are on to find as to how the sword could have fatally pierced the victim’s eye,” said Y. John Nicholson, the local superintendent of police.
Nicholson admitted that Nagaraj has been detained under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). A juvenile court will try him.
The two boys were friends and belonged to the same Velammal Matriculation School in Chennai 275 km from here.
They had come as part of a group for a state-level fencing competition that covered 21 districts of Tamil Nadu.
Till the occurrence of the mishap at dusk Saturday, they were cheered by their friends to do better, police sources further said.
Following the accident, with blood erupting from his nose and ears, Baburaj was taken to a private hospital here by the school authorities who were advised to take the injured boy to Salem, situated 60 km away.
Baburaj succumbed to his wounds even as he was being rushed to Salem.
The victim’s parents, who arrived here Sunday, declined to accept their son’s body and alleged foul play. Police sources indicated that they were being convinced about the inevitability of the death.
Shocked by the incident, the Tamil Nadu Fencing Association isn’t taking any more chances. The association secretary, D. Nagappan has issued strict instruction to participants in the meet to compulsorily wear protective gear including the all important face mask and thick vests.