At Least 40 Injured During Stampede at Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple
The injured have been admitted to Sannidhanam hospital, Pathnamthitta Collector R Girija said.
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At least 40 pilgrims were injured, three of them critically, in a stampede at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala on Sunday evening.
According to the temple authorities, with Monday being a key day in the two-month-long Sabarimala festival, there was an unprecedented rush of devotees on Sunday and the incident occurred when the sanctum santorum of the temple was opened late Sunday evening.
To control the crowd, police had set up barricades but one of them broke which then led to the stampede.
The injured have been admitted to Sannidhanam hospital, Pathnamthitta collector R Girija said. She said there was a “small stampede” between Sannidhanam and Malikapuram.
The three critical devotees have been moved to the Kottayam Medical College hospital.
“Situation Under Control”
Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said there was a heavy rush of pilgrims at the shrine during the Thanga Angi procession.
He was at the temple shortly before the stampede and had left the shrine after deeparadhana (evening prayers).
The minister said that the situation has been brought under control.
“All the medical attention is being given to the injured and the situation is fully under control,” Surendran told reporters at the temple.
Anticipation for Monday’s Mandala Pooja
There was a heavy rush of pilgrims on Sunday, the penultimate day before culmination of the 41-day mandala pooja.
The stampede occurred just as the holy Thanga Angi procession carrying ornaments worn by Lord Ayyappa on mandala pooja, to be held on Monday, had reached the temple on Sunday evening.
Back in 2011, another stampede at the temple led to the deaths of around 106 people during the Makara Jyothi day.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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