It was exactly a year ago on this day (January 14, 2011) a terrible stampede at Pulmedu claimed the lives of 102 Sabarimala pilgrims and more than 100 injured at Vandiperiyar.

The tragedy struck the pilgrims returning after darshan at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa on the ‘makara samkarma pooja’. The incident happened around 8 p.m. local time. Most of the dead were from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. There are various versions of the accident as reported in various newspapers and television reports. The victims were going back home through the forest after Makara Jyothi darshan, thought to be a celestial phenomenon on the hill shrine of the Hindu god Ayyappan.

The stampede was reportedly caused by an SUV which blocked the path, possibly after breaking down. When moved it may have overturned and caused people to stumble, triggering the stampede or by too many people running down the hill towards the road where there was already a pack of vehicles. There is a version of an accident between an autorickshaw and a Jeep. The real trigger of the incident remains a mystery given the fact that the spot where the stampede occurred is an open field.

For those Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu traveling to Sabarimala, Pullumedu is the shortest way. Normally, Tamil pilgrims at Kumaly reach Pullumedu in jeeps. Vehicle facilities are there only till Pullumedu. At Pullumedu there is a steep path downward which leads to Sabarimala via Pandithavalam. There will be no lighting facilities in the night here. Sabarimala is only 5 km away from Pullumedu.

Usually, pilgrims take this way to avoid long queues which extends from Sabareepeedam to Sannidhanam. When traveling through Pullumedu, pilgrims can reach Sabarimala without passing through Pampa.

The previous LDF government announced a judicial inquiry into the stampede tragedy and also announced a grant of INR500,000 for families of each of the victims.

Prime minister of India Manmohan Singh offered condolences for the deaths and announced a compensation of INR100,000 to the next of kin of the dead and INR50,000 for those injured. A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was sent to the scene.

The then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced INR1,00,000 to the family of each victim from Tamil Nadu.

(News agency)