Ailing tribal woman taken on doli from a village in Kodaikanal to hospital, dies

CHENNAI: A 34-year-old ailing tribal woman from Vellagavi, a small village in Kodaikanal, died while being taken on a ‘doli’ to hospital on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Manimegalai. Manimegalai fell ill and suffered blood pressure problems. The village had no road facility and she was carried on a ‘doli’ by the villagers for about 12 kilometres from up the hill to the plains at Kumbakarai in Theni district. From there she was taken to Periyakulam Government Hospital by ambulance. The villagers carried the victim, crossing the creek and rugged terrain during the night assisted by mobile phone flashlights. But all their efforts went in vain as Manimegalai was said to have died on the way, sources said. Angered by the death, her relatives and several villagers sought the government to lay roads to facilitate them reach their dwellings up the hilly areas without hindrance.