A temple festival witnessed a tragedy on Sunday morning as seven people were killed and 12 others injured in a stampede. The incident took place at the Muthaiyampalayam Karuppusamy temple in Thuraiyur in Trichy. Four women and three men were killed, and 12 people taken to a nearby hospital.
The Tamil Nadu government has offered a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the seven people who died and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the tragedy. Taking notice of the tragedy, the Centre has stated that it will give Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured.
Police clearing crowds gathered at the temple following the accident
The deceased have been identified as Kandhayi (38) from Ariyalur; Ramar (52) from Perambulur; Santhi (47) from Namakkal; Poongavanam (46) from Cuddalore; Lakshmikanthan (60) from Karur; Valli (46) from Ariyalur; and Ragavel (52) from Cuddalore.
Saddened by the loss of lives due to the stampede at a temple in Thuraiyur, Trichy. My condolences to the families of those who passed away and prayers with the injured. All possible help is being extended by the authorities.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2019
An ex- gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who passed away has been approved from the PM’s National Relief Fund. Rs 50,000 each for the injured has also been approved.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2019
This festival is an annual event in the Tamil month of Chithirai at the Karuppasamy temple in Muthaiyampalayam village, near Thuraiyur. There is a belief held by the devotees that if they take the coins offered to the temple deity and keep the coins in their homes, they become wealthy. According to some reports, the stampede occurred in the rush to get these coins.
“There is a point at which the queue outside the temple is separated into two. Women to one side and men to another. There was a rush at this point, and one woman slipped and fell down. Then others tripped and fell but the crowd kept rushing,” said local police sources.