S. Suraj (37), a native of Maharashtra, was residing in Salem for the past 20 years with his family.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A 37-year-old man who attended the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) meeting addressed by its founder and actor C. Joseph Vijay in Salem district died after collapsing at the venue on Friday (February 13, 2026).
Police said S. Suraj (37), a native of Maharashtra, was residing in Salem for the past 20 years and was staying at Arasamarathu Kattur near Kondalampatti in Salem district with his family. He was working in a silver anklet unit.
On Friday, he attended the TVK functionaries meeting held at Seelanaickenpatti accompanying a few other local TVK functionaries. As he waited in the scorching sun inside the meeting venue for more than two hours, he suddenly fainted. The TVK functionaries took him in the ambulance that was kept ready at the venue to a private hospital in the locality. However, he died on the way before reaching the hospital. The Annathanapatti police are investigating further.
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Police sources said Suraj had undergone a heart surgery one-and-a-half years ago.
His body will be sent for post-mortem after formally getting a complaint from family members, police added. The deceased is survived by wife Priya (35), a 11-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son.
Published – February 13, 2026 04:05 pm IST
