40 injured in Sabarimala temple stampede

Police had set up barricades but due to the huge rush, the barricade broke and caused a stampede

At least 40 pilgrims were injured, three of them seriously, in a stampede at the Sabarimala temple on Sunday night after a barricade gave way in the huge rush, authorities said.

State Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that the situation has been brought under control.

"All the medical attention is being given to the injured and the situation is fully under control," Surendran told reporters at the temple.

According to the temple authorities, with Monday being a key day in the two-month-long Sabarimala festival, there was an unprecedented rush of devotees on Sunday and the incident occurred when the sanctum santorum of the temple was opened late Sunday evening.

To control the crowd, police had set up barricades but on account of the huge rush, the barricade broke and caused a stampede, in which the pilgrims got injured.

The temple authorities swung into action and the injured were moved to the local hospital while the three who suffered serious injuries have been moved to the Kottayam Medical College hospital.