The 35-year-old was discharged from the hospital only on Friday, but had gone to his polling booth on Saturday to cast his vote for the urban local body elections.
The 35-year-old was discharged from the hospital only on Friday, but had gone to his polling booth on Saturday to cast his vote for the urban local body elections.
Despite pain and uneasiness, M. Balamurugan (35) of Kariyapatti reached the polling booth at Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Virudhunagar district on Saturday to cast his vote.
Mr. Balamurugan had suffered a snake bite and was discharged from the hospital on Friday itself. His right leg was covered with bandages from his thigh to the ankle.
Along with a few persons, the man was pushed from an autorickshaw in a wheelchair to the booth and back into the waiting vehicle outside. “I had suffered a snake bite 22 days back,” said Mr. Balamurugan.
He was bitten by a snake while he was involved in cutting firewood. He was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Virudhunagar, where he was operated upon. “When I asked the doctors for leave because I had already spent 22 days, they gave me leave and I came to vote,” he said.
Many elderly men and women and some sick persons and disabled persons could reach the polling stations only due to availability of wheelchairs.
The Virudhunagar district administration had also deputed the staff of the local bodies to move the wheelchairs for the benefit of such voters.