Kozhikode (Kerala), Mar 9 (PTI) A woman who had suffered severe burn injuries while taking part in Attukal Pongala in Thiruvananthapuram recently died at a hospital here on Monday, family sources said.
The deceased, Vijisha, a resident of West Hill here, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this northern district.
She sustained burn injuries while preparing the pongala offering in an earthen hearth in front of a hotel at Thampanoor, they said.
As she suffered burns from a hearth placed in the back row, Vijisha was immediately shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Government Medical College Hospital Thiruvananthapuram.
She was later shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode for further treatment, a relative told reporters here.
The relative alleged that adequate security arrangements and safety precautions were absent in the area where they performed the pongala ritual.
“The tragedy happened because of the negligence of the authorities. The hearths were arranged very closely to each other and people were not ready to make any change even if requested to keep a distance between each hearth. Even police personnel were reluctant to intervene,” he alleged.
The spread of fire did not come to immediate notice due to the thick smoke around, he said, adding that there was no facility available nearby to douse the flames.
The deceased woman and her family reached Thiruvananthapuram on March 2 and stayed at a hotel to take part in the pongala ritual held at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
The annual Attukal Pongala, considered one of the largest congregations of women in the world, witnessed the participation of lakhs of women from within and outside the state. PTI LGK KH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.