Kottayam, Wednesday 13 January 2010: The eleven Ayyappa devotees from Andhra Pradesh who died when the lorry they were travelling overturned at Kanamala near Erumeli in Kottayam on Tuesday will be sent back to Andhra Pradesh by Wednesday noon.

Post mortem will be conducted on all bodies by afternoon and the bodies will be embalmed and sent to their native places. Health Minister P K Sreemathi visited the hospital and had directed the concerned officials to oversee the operations. She said that treatment to all the victims will be borne by the government.

The devotees were on their way to Sabarimala from Vijayawada when the incident happened. The accident occurred when a lorry containing sand bags and overloaded with nearly 45 Ayyappa devotees from Andhrapradesh lost control and overturned on the road.

The passengers who were trapped below sand bags were brought out by local people and passengers of other vehicles and taken to Erumeli and Kanjirapalli Taluk hospitals.

The bodies of the deceased have been kept at the mortuary of both the hospitals. The devotees who suffered serious injuries in the accident have been admitted to hospital in Kottayam.