A Thirteen-year-old girl, who participated in the selection of ‘Khelo India’ boxing competition here, suddenly swooned and died while being taken to the hospital on Friday afternoon.
M. Mareeswari, a student of Government Higher Secondary School, Sorispuram near Korampallam, participated in the Under–14 boxing event that was organised by the Centre’s ‘Khelo India’ programme at Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu’s (SDAT) stadium in Tharuvai. She was accompanied by her coach Subburaj and mother Easwari.
At 2 p.m., the first round was stopped after the girl said that she could not fight further. While taking rest, Mareeswari swooned and was taken to the nearby hospital and then referred to the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital. However, she breathed her last on the way to the hospital.
“She was being coached by our relative Subburaj for the past 10 days for this event. She did not have any health issues,” said Mari Selvan, the girl’s elder brother.
K. Mareeswari
“Even as she was taking rest with her coach and mother sitting nearby, she suffered breathlessness and swooned," said District Sports Officer L. Theerthose, adding that the girl was wearing all mandatory protective gears meant for boxing when she participated in the meet.
He said the Tharuvai stadium had kept all mandatory first-aid kit and equipment ready.
Thoothukudi Sub-Collector Deepak Jacob visited the hospital and consoled the mourning relatives of the victim.
“I could not see any external injury. Only a post mortem can reveal the mystery behind the sudden demise of the girl,” said Silas Jebamani, Resident Medical Officer, Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital.
