Racing rider Dinesh Edwin succumbs to injuries

Chennai: Local rider S Dinesh Edwin on Wednesday succumbed to injuries that he sustained on Sunday during a `pay and practice` session at the MMST race track in Irungattukottai near Sriperumbudur here.

20-year-old Dinesh was battling for life after he suffered a head injury on Sunday at the track. The unfortunate incident has put the 2013 National Bike Racing Championship scheduled to commence in Coimbatore next month in trouble. The bike racers were now up in arms against the Madras Motor Sports Club, oldest member of Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India, for lack of facilities at the track. Over 50 racers, who had threatened to boycott the forthcoming nationals, had met the MMSC officials on Tuesday and demanded better facilities at the track. According to Prabha Kran, a national championship racer, the doctors who treated Dinesh had said that "he would not have been brain dead had he been given first aid at the track". The comments in the social media, mainly by Dinesh`s friends, were highly critical of MMSC for failing to provide medical support, for the absence of doctor and ambulance at the track during the `pay and practice` sessions. They demanded that the run-off areas be improved to prevent serious injuries to riders in the event of a crash. Meanwhile, MMSC on Thursday condoled the death of Dinesh and said in a statement, "It is with regret that we announce that motorcycle rider S Dinesh succumbed to his injuries after an accident at an Open Day for Private Testing at the Madras Motor Race Track earlier this week." "The Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) would like to extend its sincere sympathies to S Dinesh`s family and friends following the tragic news of his death. We are shocked and saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. We ask that you respect their privacy during this time. A full-fledged enquiry is being conducted which will help in outlining future safety requirements," the statement said. Vicky Chandhok, Vice President MMSC and President FMSCI, said, "Our thoughts and sympathies are with Dinesh`s family. The FMSCI has asked MMSC to conduct an inquiry. We also intend taking possession of his riding gear and send it to Geneva for analysis at the FIM (International Motorcycle Federation) institute. "It is surprising that a rider in full and approved racing gear should suffer such serious injuries. Once we get the gear examined by experts at the FIM institute, we will of course share the information with everyone concerned." On the absence of medical assistance during the `pay and practice` session, Chandhok said, "There are different categories of hire. The riders on Sunday had opted for a category that did not provide for medical support at the track, but nobody was allowed on track without approved racing gear, including racing overall and helmet.” "In the light of the accident, I think it is best that we offer `pay and practice` facility with only full medical support even if it costs more so that we can avoid another incident such as this." PTI