Chennai: In a freak accident, a 14-year-old boy died of injuries after he was caught in the wheels of the dragon roller coaster ride at an exhibition in Vaniyambadi, Vellore, on Friday night.
The deceased, Vishnu, a ninth class student in a private school in the district, lived with his parents in C.L.Road in Vaniyambadi.
According to police, an exhibition was organised by one Manohar of Vaniyambadi at the weekly market ground in Vellore earlier this week. The exhibition has been open since Ramzan day, and people from all over the district visited the place.
On Friday, by around 9 pm, Vishnu visited the exhibition along with his parents. According to sources, when his parents were not noticing, Vishnu who was attracted to the dragon roller coaster ride, kept moving closer to the fun ride to watch.
Noticing him standing dangerously close to the moving side of the ride, people called out to him to back off. But, in a few seconds, the swirling iron wheels hit him and dragged him into the machine. Eyewitnesses said that the boy's head was continuously battered on the tracks, injuring him severely.
The family rushed the bleeding child to the Vaniyambadi government hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. On being informed, town police registered a case and sent the body for post-mortem. Doctors said the boy suffered injuries on the head, hands and chest.
An initial investigation by the police revealed that no safety measures was in place at the exhibition venue. The exhibition organiser had operated without any permission every year. The corporation officials had not given permission to organise the exhibition. Police arrested the organiser Manohar of Vaniyambadi. Investigations are on.
