M'luru: Ayyappa devotee dies of cardiac arrest in Sabarimala

Mangaluru: An Ayyappa devotee from Katipalla Ganeshapura died after suffering cardiac arrest on Saturday during his Sabarimala pilgrimage

The deceased identified as Sandeep Katipalla (35) collapsed and died while climbing the 18 steps that lead to the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala temple

Sandeep was working as a driver and is survived by his wife and two sons.

It is gathered that he had undertaken the pilgrimage to fulfill a vow for one of his sons. On Saturday, as he was climbing the eighteen steps to get darshan of Lord Aiyappa in the Sanctum Sanctorum, he collapsed and died.