A 23-year-old woman died allegedly after a projectile ricocheted off the ground during the bursting of firecrackers, and hit her on the head, near Amanikere in Tiptur of Tumakuru district on Monday. The police identified the deceased as Sitara, a resident of Adavanahalli, near Marasandra in Turuvekere taluk.
The police said Sitara had gone to see a Ganesha procession and immersion near Amanikere on Sunday night. She was standing with her friends behind the fencing erected around the Amanikere, while firecrackers were being lit on the other side of the lake.
According to the police, a stone hit her head, after which it fell on another man, Jithendra, 22, injuring his face. Sitara’s two friends also sustained injuries.
Divya Gopinath, Superintendent of Police, said, “The victim and her friends were standing far away from the firecrackers. A projectile flew from the spot during fireworks and hit her on the head, injuring her.”
She clarified that it was not a burn injury and the cause of death will be known only after post-mortem.
Sitara was first taken to the Tumakuru district government hospital and then referred to NIMHANS, Bengaluru. However, she died on the way to NIMHANS, her family members said.
Zilla panchayat member Rakshit Gowda accused the authorities concerned for not taking precautionary measures to prevent the incident. Sitara had completed B.Com and was studying for CA in Bengaluru.
A case has been registered in Tiptur police station.