Hoarding that claimed three lives in Coimbatore lacked Municipality’s permit; two from advertising agency arrested

A day after a huge billboard on the side of the Salem – Kochi Highway at Karumathampatti near Coimbatore, collapsed killing three workers on the spot, the police, on Friday, June 2, 2023, said the billboard was installed without authorisation by the local civic body.

A day after a huge billboard on the side of the Salem – Kochi Highway at Karumathampatti near Coimbatore, collapsed killing three workers on the spot, the police, on Friday, June 2, 2023, said the billboard was installed without authorisation by the local civic body.

Coimbatore District (Rural) Superintendent of Police V. Badrinarayanan told The Hindu that the Karumathampatti Municipality had not given permission for the huge metal frame hoarding in a farm land facing the highway. The land belongs to R. Ramasamy (72) of Pudupalam Pirivu near Karumathampatti.

The accident happened when workers of Salem-based advertising agency, Moorthy Arts, were fixing a new flex banner on the hoarding on Thursday (June 1) evening. While K. Palanisamy (56) of Omalur Salem, who had taken the subcontract from the advertising agency, was held the same night, the police arrested the manager Arun Kumar on Friday.

“Arun Kumar was handling the day-to-day operations of the advertising agency. We are on the lookout for Balaji, the owner of the agency,” said Mr. Badrinarayanan.

According to the police, the accident took place around 4 p.m. on Thursday when the advertising agency was placing a new flex banner on the 80 feet hoarding. Palanisamy and five workers - Senthil Murugan (38), S. Kumar (52), S. Gunasekar (52), S. Setu (23) and Arun Kumar (26) - all hailing from Salem, climbed the metal hoarding to fix the new flex banner.

Following heavy wind, Palanisamy and Arun Kumar got down and the four others continued to work. The metal frame broke due to the wind and collapsed with the four workers.

Murugan, Kumar and Gunasekar died on the spot. Setu was rushed to the Government Hospital, Avinashi, from where he was later referred to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.