Boy killed after hammer fell on head during sports meet

A boy, who suffered serious head injuries during a hammer throw event in Kerala's Kottayam district on October 4, died on Monday.

A police case has been registered against the organisers for lapses.

Apheel Johnson (17), who was a volunteer at the Kerala Junior Athletics Meet at Pala in Kottayam, suffered serious head injury while he was collecting javelins from the ground.

Under 18 girls' hammer-throw event was progressing at the time and a hammer, weighing about three kilograms, hit Apheel's forehead.

Apheel, who was the only son of Johnson George of Melukavu near Erattupetta in Kottayam district, was subjected to multiple brain surgeries at Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital and was showing some signs of improvement by responding to medicines over the last few days.

But his condition worsened owing to fever and internal infections and breath his last by Monday, said local sources.

Apheel was a plus-one student of the St Thomas School at Pala and a football player.

The police already registered a case against the organisers of the meet following allegations of lapses in conducting the event.

The finishing points of the javelin throw and hammer throw events were set at the same area and the events were held simultaneously. Hence Apheel, who was a volunteer for javelin throw event, did not notice the under 18 girls' hammer throw event progressing.

The meet organisers had maintained that both the events were held simultaneously owing to paucity of time. But a preliminary inquiry by the district revenue authorities also found lapses on the part of the organisers.

The Kerala State Athletics Association had earlier announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the family members.