A 58-year-old woman collapsed and died in the Sabarimala pilgrimage queue amid massive rush and crowd chaos. The shrine experienced near-stampede conditions on Tuesday due to overwhelming pilgrim influx exceeding the one-lakh daily capacity.
Pilgrims were forced to wait for more than 10 hours at the Nada Pandal queue complex near the temple. Many became restless and jumped barricades rushing toward the Pathinettam Padi (18 holy steps), causing commotion and discomfort, especially among children and elderly. Police struggled to contain the chaotic crowd. Additional Director General of Police S Sreejith intervened to manage the situation, and the temple’s closing time was extended by one hour to 2 PM from 1 PM to handle the overflow.
The deceased woman hailed from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president K Jayakumar announced her body would be taken back to her native place in an ambulance borne by TDB. Jayakumar emphasized the daily pilgrim count would be strictly capped at 100,000, allocated into virtual and spot booking time slots. Additional spot booking facilities at halting points would ease crowd pressure.
However, pilgrims widely criticized the authorities for inadequate arrangements, citing shortages in water and food causing suffering amid the crush. The CPM-led Kerala government faced sharp criticism from opposition Congress and BJP for insufficient preparation and crowd control.
When faith draws millions, arrangements must match devotion’s magnitude. Safety, comfort, and dignity are paramount. Responsible administration can prevent tragedies and preserve the sanctity of sacred pilgrimages.
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