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India female powerlifter, 17, dies when 270kg barbell crushes her neck after she slips on mat
She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead there.
February 21, 2025, 11:03 AM
Warning: This article contains media and descriptions of an accident that some might find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.
A 17-year-old female gold medallist powerlifter in India died after a 270kg barbell rolled over and crushed her neck during practice.
The Feb. 18 incident occurred in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, local India police said, according to Indian Express.
Yashtika Acharya, a Junior National Games weightlifter, was practising in the gym when tragedy struck.
She was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared her dead.
The trainer also suffered minor injuries in the mishap.
What video showed
A video of the incident has since been circulated online.
The female teen was seen balancing the weighted barbell over her upper back.
However, she appeared to slip when she stepped on the edge of the mat she was standing on as she was adjusting her position to carry out the squat.
The mat was elevated, which resulted in the surface of the ground to be uneven.
The barbell rolled over her neck and head as a result when she lost her balance.
The footage showed the barbell bending and becoming deformed after it rolled over the teen, as the downward force it applied over the teen's body when it slipped was significant.
The teen was seen slumped over before the video cut off.
Her body was handed over to her family a day after the accident and a postmortem, it was reported.
Similar incident
A similar incident occurred in Bali, Indonesia in July 2023.
A 33-year-old Indonesian fitness influencer died after a barbell he was holding up on his back rolled forward and broke his neck.
The incident was caught on camera as well.
Justyn Vicky was unable to stand up during a squat and he reverted to a sitting position.
The barbell dropped on the back of his neck and rolled forward over the back of his head to the ground.
A person who was supposed to provide support behind him at the time appeared to fall backwards along with the weightlifter.
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