Thiruvananthapuram:At least 154 persons sustained injuries, with 15 suffering from severe burns, following a fire at a temple festival in Kerala's Kasargod district in the early hours of Tuesday.
Eight of the victims, who have sustained over 80 percent burns, are in critical condition and have been put on ventilator support.
The accident occurred when firecrackers stored for the Theyyam festival detonated at the Anjootambalam Veererkavu Temple in Nileshwaram, early on Tuesday.
The incident took place during "Kulichu Thottam," a preparatory ritual for the Moovalamkuzhi Chambundi Theyyam, which is a significant annual event that signals the start of the Theyyam season in North Malabar. Torches crafted from dried coconut leaves are lit for this ritual.
It is suspected that sparks from the ignited torches may have fallen onto the cardboard box storing firecrackers valued at Rs 24,000.
The gap between the firecracker detonation area and the storage room was merely three feet, whereas regulations stipulate a minimum distance of 100 meters.
The district authorities reported that the temple had not obtained a permit for the fireworks display. The explosion's force tore off the storeroom's tin sheet roof, triggering panic in the vicinity. The ensuing stampede led to numerous injuries as individuals fled for safety. The injured have been taken to hospitals in Kasargod, Kannur, Mangalore, and Kozhikode, with 21 people receiving treatment at AJ Medical College Hospital in Mangaluru.
Eight individuals are in critical condition and have been moved to the intensive care unit. However, hospital authorities have reported that the condition of all eight is satisfactory and not critical. Approximately 30% of the affected individuals have suffered burns and are also receiving care in the intensive care unit.
A case has been registered against eight persons in connection with the explosion at the site where firecrackers were stored for the Neeleswaram Anjootambalam Veerarkavu Kaliyatta Mahotsavam. Those charged by the police include seven temple committee office bearers and one individual named Rajesh, who was responsible for the fireworks display.
The president and secretary of the Anjootambalam Veerarkavu committee are currently detained.
In the meantime, police and forensic experts have arrived at the accident site for inspection.
The police have charged the temple committee with grave oversights. District Police Chief D Shilpa informed the press that the committee's leaders failed to make even the most basic security arrangements and did not obtain the necessary permissions. Kasargod MP Rajmohan Unnithan criticized the police for not inspecting the site earlier to ensure that explosive materials were not stored in a hazardous manner, especially considering the large number of people present.
