A tragic incident has left a community in grief after 13-year-old Rueisha Kharsel died during a school training session in Goa.
Tragedy during practice
Rueisha, a Class IX student of St Anthony’s High School Guirim, was participating in a routine hockey practice session on Thursday when a ball struck her on the head.
According to school authorities, the session was progressing normally when the accident occurred. She collapsed immediately after the impact.
Rushed to hospital, declared dead
Staff members initially called for an ambulance, but due to expected delays, she was rushed to a hospital in a private vehicle. Police later confirmed that she was declared brought dead on arrival.
A case of unnatural death has been registered, and a postmortem report is awaited.
A young dream cut short
Rueisha had taken up hockey two years ago, inspired by her elder brother Suraj, who has represented Goa at national-level competitions.
Family members said she was passionate about the sport and had dreams of pursuing it further.
Family and community in shock
The sudden loss has devastated her family, classmates, and teachers. Friends and neighbours gathered at her home to pay their respects, as her grieving parents struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.
Questions over safety
The incident has also raised concerns about safety measures during school sports activities, especially when involving high-speed equipment like hockey balls.
Authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident as part of the investigation.