Kerala - Kozhikode   

Probe on into death of youth at martial arts tournament

Kozhikode: The city police are investigating a case of unnatural death of a contestant in the All-Style Martial Arts Tournament organised by the Kaju Kado Karate and Marital Arts Academy at the Indoor Stadium here in the early hours of Monday.

T. Ubais, 19, son of Hamsa Koya, of Chettippadi, near Parappanangadi, in Malappuram district, died in a hospital here around 3.30 a.m. Ubais had collapsed at the stadium at 1.30 a.m. on the concluding day of the martial arts tourney on Sunday. He was given first aid at the venue and later shifted to the hospital, the police said.

The Kasaba police have registered a case under Section 174 (police to inquire and report on doubt regarding the cause of death) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Investigators said that they were awaiting the post-mortem report.

The post-mortem examination was conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital here on Monday and the body was released to the relatives, a hospital spokesman said.

Cyriac Job, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, carried out the examination. Senior doctors will further analyse the case on Tuesday to arrive at a conclusion.

However, official sources said the death was a suspected case of “cervical trauma” that might have occurred during the “sports-related activity.” The impact on the medulla oblongata, where the cardio-respiratory centres are located, in the brain stem could have resulted in the death. The brain stem is the continuation of the spinal cord in the vertebral column.

A preliminary investigation by the police into the case revealed that Ubais, a construction worker, had started training in karate two and a half year ago. He had entered the quarterfinals of the tournament. He had taken part in four rounds of the “full contact” in the 55-60 kg category.

As many as 393 contestants, including 50 women, from various parts of the country had taken part in 34 categories. The top winners will perform at the International Martial Arts Tournament in Bangkok.

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