M A I N   N E W S

90 crushed to death in Sabarimala mishap

Idukki (Kerala), January 14 
At least 90 pilgrims returning from Sabarimala Ayyappa temple were killed and 100 injured tonight when a vehicle ploughed through the devotees in a narrow forest stretch at Peeramedu in Idukki district of Kerala, triggering a stampede.

“As many as 55 bodies have so far been recovered from the site,” which is a remote area on the border with Tamil Nadu, said Sabarimala shrine spokesperson Rahul Eeshwar. He said that according to reports at least 90 persons were killed and 100 injured.

Many of the pilgrims involved in the tragedy were from TN who were returning to their homes to celebrate Pongal after having a ‘darshan’ of the deity.

But, there were differing versions on how the incident took place.

While Eeshwar said the tragedy occured at around 8.15 pm when two buses carrying the pilgrims collided and fell into a trench, Sabarimala Special Commissioner Rajendra Nair said a jeep had ploughed through the pilgrims, who were returning from 'makara samkrama pooja', using a narrow trekking path in a forest near Sabarimala shrine. Nair said there was a stampede after the jeep ran into the devotees. Relief operations have been delayed due to remoteness of the accident site. — PTI