Athletics fraternity mourns Abheel’s tragic death

The tragic end of Abheel Johnson, who died on Monday after being accidentally hit during the hammer throw competition at the Kerala State Junior Athletics Championship at Pala on October 4, has plunged the state’s athletics fraternity into shock and grief. The 17-year-old Plus One student’s death has also turned the focus on the laxity in adhering to safety guidelines while conducting such events.

P T Usha

Yesterday was one of the saddest days in my life. Abheel was volunteering at the track and field competition when he was struck by a hammer. I was deeply disturbed by the accident and the news of his death is yet to sink in. The people who are responsible for his death should be brought to book. Measures need to be initiated to ensure that a repeat of the incident does not occur.

Shiny Wilson

I’m yet to come to terms with Abheel’s tragic death. I had been praying for his recovery. It is painful to see such scary incidents happening at sports venues. We’ve lost a youngster who had a bright future ahead of him.

Manoj Lal

When we learned about the incident, we came together to help Abheel’s family in whatever way we could. As we were highly hopeful that he would return to life, his death has left us devastated. Such a bizarre accident should never have happened during a sports meet.

M D Valsamma

This unfortunate incident reminds us of the importance of safety precautions while conducting sporting events. It serves as a wake up to the government and the organisers to introduce strict measures to ensure the safety of sportspersons. We cannot afford to lose another life.

Joseph G Abraham

I was shell-shocked by Abheel’s tragic end. I couldn't stop my heart from aching when I learned about the accident. As members of the athletics fraternity, we had made all efforts to extend assistance to his family.

Anju Bobby George

Abheel’s tragic death has brought back memories of two incidents where I had a close shave. The first one happened in the late 90s during the All India Railway Athletics Championship. I was walking across the ground to get the javelin to prepare for the heptathlon event. Upon hearing screams from the gallery, I turned back and saw a javelin flying towards me with vigorous force. Though I dodged out of its trajectory, the spear pierced my arm.

The second incident happened in Germany. Some athletes including me were taking rest on the sidelines when a hammer veered off its course and landed with a hard thud right in front of us before bouncing over our heads. By God's grace, we escaped unhurt. Sports activities can be leisurely, but they can also be associated with various risks of injuries and accidents. In Abheel's death, we have lost an emerging footballer.