A national-level powerlifting athlete died in a tragic accident at a gym in Rajasthan's Bikaner. Yashtika, a gold medalist powerlifter, suffered fatal injuries during her training session when a 270-kg weight bar fell on her neck. Despite immediate rescue attempts at the gym and subsequent transfer to PBM Hospital, doctors pronounced her dead.
The incident occurred around 7 PM on Tuesday when Yashtika Acharya, daughter of Aishwarya Acharya (Dhinganiya Maharaj), was practicing at a private gym near Bada Ganesh Ji Temple in the Acharya Chowk area. A disturbing video of the incident has surfaced online.
CAUTION: THE BELOW VIDEO CAN BE DISTURBING FOR SOME PEOPLE. VIEWERS' DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
According reports, she was attempting a 270-kg squat under her coach's supervision when she lost balance. The weight bar slipped from her grip and fell on her neck. Although the coach and other athletes present quickly removed the bar and attempted CPR, Yashtika had already lost consciousness.
Yashtika was a rising star in powerlifting, having recently won a gold medal at the 29th Rajasthan State Sub-Junior and Senior Men and Women Equipped Bench Press Championship in Alwar, organised by the Rajasthan State Powerlifting Association. She had also achieved remarkable success at the national level, winning gold in the equipped category and silver in the classic category at the 33rd National Bench Press Championship in Goa.
The athlete came from a family of contractors, with her father Aishwarya Acharya (50) working in the construction business. She was one of three sisters, with one of her siblings also being a powerlifter. While the family has not filed any formal complaint regarding the incident, police are conducting their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
