Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru (SP)

Tumakuru, Jun 24: Kumar (23) from Godekere village in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk in the district, who had fractured his spinal cord when trying to imitate a Tik Tok image recently, lost his battle for life at Victoria Hospital Bengaluru on Sunday June 23.

Kumar was a singer - cum - dancer of an orchestra. He also used to provide dance training to the children of several schools. On June 15, he was performing Tik Tok stunts along with some friends in the school ground when he tried the reverse somersault. When his body hit the ground, his neck took the full impact of the body's weight as it hit the ground first. The force fractured his spinal cord extensively.

Kumar, who hailed from a poor family, was the only son of his parents. His father has been ill since long. Earning from the orchestra was the lone income source for the family. The doctors were not confident enough about the recovery process of the youth.

Kumar's relatives said that his family was dependent on his earnings and that Kumar had plans to start a dance school. However, this accident doomed Kumar's dreams and the family's hopes.

It is said that Kumar planned to upload Tik Tok videos with the hope that it will provide him more publicity in social media and he may get more opportunities.

Uncle dismisses claim

However, the maternal uncle of Kumar, identified as Manjunath, dismissed the claim and said that Kumar's death had nothing to do with Tik Tok.

Manjunath said at Victoria Hospital that Kumar, serving as a dancer for Rmu Melodies Orchestra, Tumakuru, always was trying to learn new stunts as he felt it would brighten his chances of getting opportunities in cinema and other programmes. "Kumar lived with his parents. His younger sister is married. The family is very poor. Because of the wrong notion that he died when on Tik Tok, no one is coming forward to help this poor family," he stated.

He said that on June 15, Kumar was standing with a friend. On that occasion, Kumar ran in from a distance, and took a back jump by using his friend's hand for support. Kumar lost his balance and fell to the ground, which caused bones of his back and head to break, after which he was taken to hospital, Manjunath explained.