102 killed in stampede, judicial probe announced

G K Nair
Vandiperiyar (Ker), Jan 15 (PTI) In the worst disaster
to hit Sabarimala pilgrims, 102 devotees were killed and 50
injured in a stampede at Pullumedu near the famous hill-top
shrine, raising questions about inadequate infrastructure and
poor police deployment.
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located in the
Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in
Kerala.
Chief Minister of the south Indian state Kerala V S
Achuthanandan announced a judicial inquiry into last night's
tragedy and declared a solatium of Rs five lakh each for
families of those killed.
Lack of basic amenities like lighting, water supply
and camping facilities, coupled with insufficient police
deployment were blamed for the tragedy that struck home bound
pilgrims.
The presence of a large number of mini-vehicles like
jeeps and autorickshaws without permission or control through
the trekking route, part of Periyar Tiger Reserve, also proved
fatal, according to forest department sources.
Though Pullumedu route has been used by pilgrims from
Tamil Nadu for long, the area had never been sufficiently
covered by security and crowd management plans of Sabarimala
pilgrimage.
On days of heavy rush, the entire focus of forces,
including police and National Disaster Response Force, tended
to be shifted to Sannidhanam-Pampa route, through which over
90 per cent of pilgrims pass.
The victims included a Sri Lankan woman, identified as
Sha Kantha, member of an 18-member group from the island
nation.
Most of the dead were from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh who use the grassland forest trekking path
known as 'Pulumedu' in Periyar tiger reserve in Idukki
district.
The preliminary report of the district administration
said the stampede was caused by a commotion created by a minor
mishap involving a jeep and an autorikshaw which grazed each
other while plying along the narrow route.
Poor lighting, coupled with dense fog made matters
worse as people overwhelmed by panic ran helter skelter and
were trampled upon by one another.
Pilgrims had gathered at the spot to sight
Makaravillakku (celestial light) on the eastern horizon that
marks the culmination of the two month long Sabarimala
pilgrimage.
Police said they did not receive complaints of any
missing persons.
All bodies had been shifted to hospital at Kumali for
post mortem and were being transported to their respective
home towns, they said. PTI GKN
ASR