Woman dies as patch of cement concrete from ceiling falls on her near Samayapuram temple

A 32-year-old woman died and two other devotees, including a 14-year-old girl, were injured after a patch of reinforced cement concrete from the ceiling fell on them when they were fast asleep in the Mugappu Mandapam on the Sannithi Street close to the Samayapuram Arulmigu Mariamman temple near Tiruchi in the early hours on Sunday. 

The police identified the deceased as M. Nathiya, 32, of Keezhathirupanthurithi village in Thanjavur district. The injured persons were identified as S. Ranjini, 35, and her daughter S. Babiksha, 14, of Kallaperambur village in Thanjavur district. They were admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi. 

The police said Nathiya along with some devotees of their village travelled on foot to the Samayapuram Sri Mariamman temple. After worshipping the deity on Saturday evening, Nathiya and others stayed overnight in the Mugappu Mandapam when a patch of reinforced cement concrete from the ceiling fell on them around 12.15 a.m. on Sunday.

Nathiya, Ranjani, and her daughter were injured and were first rushed to the Government Hospital at Manachanallur where the doctor declared Nathiya dead. The body was taken to the Srirangam Government Hospital for autopsy. The two injured persons were referred to the Government Hospital, Tiruchi. The Samayapuram police are investigating.