A 12-year-old pilgrim from Tamil Nadu died during the trek to the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala on Saturday. The girl, Padmasree, fell unconscious at Appachimedu, a location along the path leading to the hilltop shrine.
According to the police, Padmasree was accompanied by her family members, who mentioned that she had been dealing with multiple health issues, including breathlessness. Despite efforts, she lost her life at the cardiology centre at Appachimedu between 4 PM and 5 PM. "She was accompanied by her family members, who said she was having multiple ailments, including breathlessness among others. She lost her life at the cardiology centre at Appachimedu," police said.
Her body has been transferred to the government hospital at Pamba.
This incident follows the bus accident that occurred on October 11 near Erumeli in the Kottayam district, resulting in the injury of 13 people. The passengers, pilgrims from Kolar in neighbouring Karnataka, were en route to the hill shrine situated in Pathanamthitta district when the accident took place.
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According to PTI, a senior police official said that 43 people, including 40 pilgrims were travelling in a vehicle to Pathanamthitta district. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it overturned near Erumeli.
Following this, four pilgrims were rushed to a government medical college near the accident spot. Four other passengers were taken to a general hospital. The remaining injured victims were admitted to a private hospital nearby. The traffic movement on the road was affected for a while due to the accident.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has organised special bus services from October 18 to 22 to facilitate pilgrims' travel for the Thula Masam Puja. These services aim to assist pilgrims and devotees in reaching the temple during this specific period designated for religious worship and rituals.