Family members and injured victims of the deadly fire explosion that rocked the Hindu Goddess, Puttingal Devi Temple in Paravur, 60kms North-West of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, sleep at the Kollam Distict Hospital, on the late evening of April 10, 2016.
Advertisement
The fire started when a spark from the fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks stored in the temple complex, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the top elected official in Kerala state.
“Heartfelt condolences on loss of lives in Kerala temple fire”, he said in a tweet.
The Commission, while issuing the notices, observed that the life of hundreds of people was at risk by such an event organised by the temple authorities who chose to hold fireworks despite having been denied permission by the district administration.
Besides the deaths in the early Sunday blaze at the Hindu Puttingal Devi temple complex, more than 380 people were injured.
More than 400 persons have sustained injuries.
While temple trust President, Jayalal, Secretary, J Krishnankutty, Shivaprasad, Surendran Pillai, Ravindran Pillai, surrendered before the Crime Branch police, two others – Surendranathan Pillai and Murugesan – were picked up by police here this morning. “People were screaming in the dark”.
Das said ambulances carried the injured to hospitals in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Paravoor, as well as the nearby city of Kollam.
TV channels showed video of huge clouds of white smoke billowing from the temple, as fireworks were still going off in the sky.
Most of the bodies have been identified, officials said, though there were still at least 11 unknown victims charred beyond recognition.
Thousands had gathered to watch the display as part of a local new year festival.
“They have recommended that no permission should be given for the fireworks because of the competitive nature and lack of space among others. Once they are questioned, only then we will know their involvement and take further steps”. The chief of the state unit of the Indian Medical Association, A. V. Jayakrishna, said he planned to file a petition before the Kerala High Court on Monday curbing the use of fireworks.
Advertisement
The Travancore Devaswom Board, in charge of almost 1,000 temples, said it will not obey a ban on fireworks, and that it is up to the government to ensure public safety.
