17-Year-Old Powerlifter Dies After 595-Lbs. Barbell Crushes Her Neck in Gym Accident: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Yashtika Acharya.Photo:Jam Press

Jam Press

A champion 17-year-old powerlifter has died after a barbell fell on her neck while she was training in India, per multiple local reports.

The accident occurred while the teenager’s trainer was supervising her weight-lifting session, theTimes of Indiaadded, citing Naya Shahar Station House Officer (SHO), Vikram Tiwari.

Acharya was rushed to hospital, where she was later declared dead, perThe Indian Express, again citing local police officer Tiwari.

The outlet added that the trainer also suffered minor injuries in the accident.

Yashtika Acharya.Jam Press

Acharya’s body was handed over to her family on Wednesday following a post-mortem, according toThe Indian Express. Her family had not filed a complaint regarding the incident, added TheHindustan Times.

“Yashtika was lifting weights at the gym, Power Headquarters, under her trainer’s supervision,” Tiwari told reporters, reported theTimes of India, citing news agency thePress Trust of India(PTI).

“During the attempt, she suddenly lost balance, and the bar came crashing down on her neck,” the officer added. “Fellow gym members quickly rushed to remove the weight, while her coach tried CPR, but she showed no signs of recovery.”

The publication reported that the late teenager had won a gold medal in the National Bench Press Championship in Goa in the Sub Junior 84kg (around 185lbs.) and above category.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Powerlifting is a form of competitive weightlifting, where contestants have three attempts at maximum weight for three types of lift — squat, bench press, and deadlift — perStrong Fitnessmagazine.

The sport “follows a periodized strength training approach,” with the body being “exposed to different stressors over a period of time, and these periods are organized appropriately to develop a training plan within each workout and strength cycle ranging from 4-6 weeks at a time,” the publication added.

The Chief Minister’s Office Government of Rajasthan did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for information, while Rajasthan Police headquarters was unable to receive messages.

source: people.com