3 min readPanajiDec 8, 2023 07:23 AM IST
More than two months after a 26-year-old man from Ranchi, who had been working as an associate manager at a multinational company, died of alleged multiple organ failure after collapsing during a triathlon endurance race, Ironman 70.3 Goa, the police on Wednesday booked the race organisers on charges of culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy.
Kamakhya Siddharth, who hailed from Ranchi, had participated in the individual category of the triathlon, which involves a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile cycling ride, and a 13.1 mile run. On October 8, Siddharth collapsed when he was about 500 metres from the finish line while running, and was rushed to a private hospital in Dona Paula, where he died the following day.
Goa police said the victim’s father had filed a zero FIR in Ranchi. The zero FIR was forwarded to Goa police, and a case was registered against the race director and other organisers at Panaji police station in Goa on Wednesday.
A police officer said, “In the FIR, the complainant alleged a conspiracy on part of the race organisers stating that the accused persons failed to provide immediate medical treatment after his son collapsed, and as a consequence of their negligence, he died. The complainant also alleged that the accused stole a wrist watch that his son was wearing and deleted his record (bib number) from the race event and the CCTV footage of the event, thereby destroying evidence.”
Police said the FIR was registered under sections IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 379 (theft), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
“An investigation has been initiated to probe the allegations,” said the officer.
On the day of the victim’s death, the race organisers had released a statement on their Facebook page: “We are saddened to confirm the passing of a race participant during the triathlon. At approximately 500 metres from the finish on the run portion of the race, the athlete required medical assistance. Emergency medical personnel and an ambulance positioned on the run course for the event provided immediate medical support before transporting the athlete to a nearby hospital, where they sadly passed away. We appreciate the quick work of onsite safety personnel and first responders to provide the athlete with medical support.”
Story continues below this ad
Police said that in the days leading up to the race, Siddharth had taken some training in Goa in open waters for swimming. On his social media profiles, he had described himself as an adrenaline junkie, a mountaineer, traveller and a “triathlete under training”. He had completed a half-marathon earlier this year in Ranchi.
