Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (May 25, 2025): Two devotees died while climbing the sacred Velliangiri Hills in Coimbatore district on Sunday. The popular pilgrimage and tourist destination attracts thousands of visitors daily, who trek nearly five kilometers across seven hill segments to reach the shrine at the summit.
According to the regional media reports, a 47-year-old woman fainted and died while ascending the seventh hill to have darshan of the deity. In a separate incident, another devotee collapsed and died on the fifth hill. The Forest Department recovered the bodies and started an investigation.
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Due to heavy rainfall in Nilgiris and Coimbatore, a red alert has been issued, and authorities have banned public entry to Velliangiri Hills until further notice. Similar restrictions have reportedly been imposed on nearby tourist spots such as Baralikadu and Poochamarathur.
According to the reports, with these two latest deaths, the total number of pilgrims who have died while trekking Velliangiri Hills this year has risen to seven.