Over 150 people were injured, including eight in serious condition, in a fireworks accident during the Anjutambalam Veerarkav temple festival near the Neeleswaram area of Kerala's Kasargod district late Monday, October 29. The injured have been taken to various hospitals in Kasargod, Kannur and Mangaluru.
The accident is suspected to have occurred around midnight when a fireworks storage facility near Veerarkavu Temple caught fire. Top district administration officials, including the collector and the district police chief, have reached the spot.
Fire Incident Caught on Camera
The police have registered a case for negligent handling of firecrackers. The temple president and secretary have been taken into custody, and authorities state that additional departments will be involved in the investigation.
The incident occurred during the release of firecrackers for Moovalamkuzhi Chamundi Theyat’s Vellattam ritual. Sparks from the fireworks fell onto the building where more firecrackers were stored, causing a violent explosion.
"Shocking news came from Nileshwaram in Kasargod district last night. About 154 people have been injured and admitted to different hospitals. This Theyyam festival is a custom of the people of North Malabar...the police were not vigilant about this festival," said Kasargod MP Rajmohan Unnithan.