Sabarimala: At least 40 pilgrims were injured, three of them seriously, in a stampede at the Sabarimala temple on Sunday night after a barricade gave way in the huge rush, authorities said.
Police told Onmanorama that most of the injured are from Andhra Pradesh. Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran said the situation has been brought under control.
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"Due to the heavy rush, a rope barricade between 'Sannidhanam' and 'Mallikapuram' temple snapped and the pilgrims, who were leaning on it fell on each other," Pathanamthitta district collector R. Girija told PTI.
"The two grievously injured pilgrims have suffered head and rib injuries but they are conscious," she said. Kadakampally Surendran said the government will bear the medical expenses of the injured, Manorama News reported
'Not enough policemen'
There was a heavy rush of pilgrims Sunday, the penultimate day before the culmination of 41-day 'mandala pooja'.
The mishap occurred just as the procession carrying the holy 'Thanga Angi' ornaments, with which the idol of Lord Ayyappa was adorned for ceremonial Deeparadhana, had reached the temple in the evening.
An official report said that enough police personnel were not deployed to control the crowd. Only 9 policemen were at the spot and they were not able to control the huge rush of pilgrims. However, DGP Loknath Behera said a major mishap was averted due to the timely intervention of the police.
The minister was at the temple just before the stampede and left the shrine after the 'deeparadhana' (evening prayers) with the Thanga Angi. Police were restricting movement of pilgrims from downhill Pamba to the hill shrine due to heavy rush.