2 AIADMK Workers Die Of Sunstroke At Jayalalithaa's Rally In Salem

Salem, Tamil Nadu: Two AIADMK party workers collapsed and reportedly died of sunstroke during an election rally addressed by party chief J Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu's Salem district on Wednesday afternoon.

55-year-old Pachiannan and 62-year-old Periyasamy, collapsed and died of sunstroke, local people told reporters. A senior police official said, "No complaints of any unnatural deaths have been received."

Their bodies have been sent to the government hospital for post-mortem examination, it was added.

Temperatures in many parts of Tamil Nadu this month has been above normal, touching 40 degrees Celsius at several places.

While Ms Jayalalithaa condoled the deaths, DMK leader MK Stalin slammed her for holding election meetings in the afternoon heat. The Chief Minister holds these meetings during the day because her chopper cannot fly in the evening, Mr Stalin alleged.

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The state's top election official Rajesh Lakhoni  told NDTV, "We will take this to the knowledge of election commission and see what can be done."

On Monday, two others had died at the public meeting Ms Jayalalithaa held in Virudachalam in the Cuddalore district.

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Though political parties normally hold public meetings in the evenings, the AIADMK chief addresses her rallies in the afternoon for which party workers gather crowds before noon.