25 AP devotees hurt in Sabarimala stampede

Sabarimala (Agencies): Twenty-five pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh were injured, two of them seriously in a stampede at the Sabarimala temple on Sunday after a barricade gave way in the huge rush.

State Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the situation has been brought under control. Due to the heavy rush, a rope barricade between 'Sannidhanam' and 'Mallikapura' snapped and the pilgrims, who were leaning on it fell on each other, Pathnamthitta District Collector R Girija said. There was a heavy rush of pilgrims, the penultimate day before the culmination of 41-day 'mandala pooja'.

The injured were initially taken to the Sannidhanam hospital. Three seriously injured were shifted to Kottayam Medical College hospital and three others to Pamba hospital, she said. The two grievously injured pilgrims have suffered head and rib injuries but they are conscious, she said.

The stampede occurred just as the holy 'Thanga Angi' procession carrying ornaments worn by Lord Ayyappa on Mandala pooja on Monday had reached the temple on Sunday evening. The procession starts from Aranmula Sree Parthasarthy temple four days before the Mandala pooja.

This is not the first such tragedy to take place near the much revered temple. Huge crowd of devotees gather at the shrine and crowd management becomes difficult for the local administration.