Temple fire mishap: Kerala govt to bear medical expenses of injured

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to bear the medical expenses of those injured in the fire accident at a temple near Neeleswaram in Kasaragod district that left 154 people injured, eight of them seriously.

The incident occurred late Monday night at Anjoottanbalam Veererkavu temple near Neeleswaram when firecrackers stored in the vicinity exploded, according to the police.

The decision to bear the medical expenses of those injured in the incident was taken in a Cabinet meeting, the chief minister’s office (CMO) said in a statement.

Three persons including two temple committee officials were arrested in connection with the incident on Tuesday after a case was registered under the Explosive Substance Act and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe into the fire accident.

Besides that, the additional divisional magistrate has been directed to carry out an inquiry separately into the incident and submit a report.

The firecrackers were burst inside the temple premises without permission, and the accident took place due to its careless handling and negligence of the accused, police said.

The incident occurred as hundreds of people, including women and children, had gathered to get a glimpse of the Theyyam performance at the shrine.

Theyyam is a centuries-old ritualistic performance held at temples and ‘kavus’ (sacred groves) in the Malabar (north Kerala) region of Kerala.