Erode: At least two persons died and four others were severely injured after they were attacked by a swarm of bees in a village near Erode ahead of an ensuing temple festival on Monday.
Villagers and community leaders in Jambai village near Erode gathered at the local Komuniappan temple on the Bhavani river bank on Monday to plan the conduct of temple festival.
Following the meeting, they performed special 'poojas' at the premises, offering 'pongal' as 'prasad' to be distributed to all the devotees. When heavy smoke formed on the spot disturbed bee-hives in five trees inside the temple premises, sources told DC.
Though most people were able to run away as the irate bees encircled the
villagers and began to sting them, it was only some senior citizens who got severely hurt.
The names of the injured persons were given as Mayilsamy, 60, Ponnusamy, 70, Chinnammal, 70, Ganeshan, 47, Nataraj, 60 and Ramasamy, 70. The injured were rescued by Fire and Rescue Services department personnel and were admitted to the Bhavani government hospital where Mayilsamy and Ponnusamy, succumbed to the bee stings.
The other four persons were shifted to the Erode government hospital for further treatment. Bhavani police are probing the incident.
