Over 150 hurt in fireworks accident at Kerala temple
Kasaragod (Kerala): In a tragic incident, at least 154 people were injured, eight of them seriously, when a fire broke out during a Theyyam performance at a temple in Kerala’s Kasaragod district late on Monday night. The accident occurred due to the explosion of firecrackers stored in the vicinity of the Anjoottanbalam Veererkavu Temple near Neeleswaram.
According to police, the firecrackers were being burst on the temple premises without any legal permission, and the accident happened due to the careless handling and negligence of the accused. Eight people have been booked under the Explosive Substance Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, and four of them have been taken into custody so far.
The incident happened as hundreds of people, including women and children, had gathered to witness the centuries-old ritualistic Theyyam performance at the shrine. Theyyam is a traditional art form prevalent in the Malabar region of Kerala.
Eyewitnesses recounted the horrific sequence of events, with mobile phone footage showing a large crowd gathered to watch the Theyyam artist perform, when suddenly a loud explosion and ball of fire erupted from one of the temple premises. Sparks from the firecrackers had apparently fallen on the stocks stored nearby, leading to the massive blast that sent the crowd into a panic.
“We were watching Theyyam... suddenly we heard a huge sound of explosion and fire at some distance. Luckily, we could move to a safer place,” said a young man who was present at the site. Several people suffered injuries in the stampede that followed the tragedy, as the crowd desperately tried to flee the area.
According to the district authorities, the fireworks storage facility and the place where the crackers were being burst were located in close proximity, violating the mandatory safety requirement of maintaining a minimum distance of 100 metres between the two. No permission had been taken for the storage of the firecrackers either.
The district collector stated that the preliminary investigation revealed serious lapses in safety precautions, with the temple authorities and police failing to ensure proper procedures were followed. “The safety precautions were not taken. The requirement of maintaining a minimum distance of 100 metres between the two was not followed. No permission was taken either for storage of fireworks,” he said.
Of the total 154 injured, 21 people are currently admitted to intensive care units, with seven under ventilator support and one person in critical condition. The district administration has announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident, while the additional divisional magistrate has been directed to carry out a separate inquiry.
