Two Tamil Nadu Police Personnel Die on Poll Duty, Raising Health Safety Concerns

Two Tamil Nadu police personnel , a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and a Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) died after suffering sudden health complications while on election bandobust duty during the Assembly polls held on April 23, officials said.

According to the Director General of Police (DGP) office, the deceased were identified as Ramakrishnan (55) , DSP with the NIB CID in Ramanathapuram district, and Kannadhasan (59) , SSI attached to Malliyakari police station in Salem district.

Ramakrishnan developed severe chest pain and collapsed around 5:45 pm near a polling station at Vivekananda School in Kaalanjipatty. He was rushed for treatment but died shortly thereafter. Kannadhasan, deployed at Booth No. 221 in Nagiyampatty village under the Gangavalli Assembly constituency, fainted while on duty at around 6:10 pm. Despite being shifted to hospitals in Minnampalli and Salem, he succumbed at 8:20 pm.

The incidents have renewed concerns over the physical strain and health risks faced by police personnel during elections, which often involve long hours, high stress, and minimal rest . A similar episode involving a member of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s security team fainting during duty has further highlighted the issue.

Experts have called for mandatory health screenings prior to deployment , particularly for older personnel, along with rotation-based shifts to prevent fatigue. They also stress the need for on-site medical teams and emergency response units , especially in remote polling areas.

Additionally, the adoption of technology-driven election management could help reduce physical strain on field staff. The incidents have also sparked calls for robust insurance coverage and compensation policies to support families of personnel who die in the line of duty.

Ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of frontline personnel remains critical to the smooth conduct of elections.