At least 8 Ayyappa devotees were killed on the spot and 2 others injured seriously when a Tata Sumo rammed into a stationary lorry at Salem district in Tamil Nadu in the wee hours of Sunday.
According to the police, the Tata Sumo, carrying about 10 Ayyappa Swami devotees who were returning to Kuppam in Chittoor district from Sabarimalai in Kerala, rammed into a stationary lorry near Vamaluru in Selam district in Tamil Nadu.
The crash left 8 pilgrims dead on the spot and the other 2 battling for their lives in a hospital.
The deceased have been identified as V Rajendran (28), V Srinivasan (25), V Subramanian (46), V Chinna Papammal (50), V Ramesh (30). Another victim was identified as V Mohan (28), while 2 more pilgrims are yet to be identified.
The injured have been identified as Ganesan (44) and his son G Teja (12). Both of them were admitted in the Government Medical College Hospital in Dharmapuri.
The stationary lorry, laden with cotton bales, was on its way to Mumbai from Pallipalayam in Erode district. Y John Nicholson, Superintendent of Police, Salem, and other officials rushed to the spot. Further investigations are on.
A large number of devotees, clad in black, make their way to the Sabarimalai temple in Kerala where the Hindu God Ayyappa Swami is worshipped. Hindus believe that Ayyappa Swami is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvathi.
The temple is open for public till January 15th when the 'Makaravillukku' appears above the Western Ghats.