Watchman crushed to death amid rains in Erode

A 58-year-old watchman died allegedly after a tree got uprooted and fell on him amid heavy rains in Tamil Nadu's Erode district, police said on Sunday.

Due to heavy rains accompanied by winds on Saturday evening, a drumstick tree got uprooted and fell on 58-year-old Karuppasamy, a native of Tirupathur district, that killed him on the spot.

According to police, the watchman had come to Erode a few months ago and was working as a watchman at a private vacant land in Vairapalayam, a suburb of Erode.

Amid the downpour, Karuppasamy was cleaning vessels under a tree. Due to the gale, the tree got uprooted and Karuppasamy was crushed to death on the spot.

Karuppasamy's son tried to call him on the mobile phone but nobody answered it. The son informed the land owner and Karuppasamy was later found dead under the tree on Sunday morning. The owner informed the Karungalpalayam police, who registered an accidental death case due to rain and began an investigation.

Erode district received 135 mm of rainfall on Saturday.