Journalist dies after falling into an incomplete storm water drain near Ashok Nagar in Chennai

A 24-year-old journalist of a Tamil news channel died on Sunday of injuries he sustained while falling into an under-construction storm-water drain at Ashok Nagar on Saturday night.

A police officer said S. Muthukrishnan, of Puthiya Thalaimurai, was walking on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai towards Ashok Nagar from Ekkatuthangal. As he tried to cross the drain near Kasi Theatre, he fell into it, sustaining severe injuries from the protruding iron rods at the site.

The police said barricades had been erected at the site. Muthukrishnan was rescued immediately and rushed to a private hospital and then shifted to the Government Royapettah Hospital. But he did not respond to treatment, the officer said.

Muthukrishnan, who was residing at Kandanchavadi, joined the news channel four months ago. The MGR Nagar police have filed a case. Journalists’ organisations have condoled the death.