Chennai: Eight Sabarimala pilgrims were killed and two suffered serious injuries after their vehicle plunged into a gorge on the Kumuli mountain pass in Theni district of Tamil Nadu late on Friday night.
The mishap occurred while the pilgrims were on their way back home after offering prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in the southern state.
As per reports, the driver of the van, which was carrying 10 pilgrims including a child, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn.
The injured are shifted to a private hospital in Kumily. One of the injured is in a critical condition.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday condoled the death of eight Sabarimala devotees from Tamil Nadu.
Terming the incident as “sad”, Vijayan conveyed his condolence to the bereaved family of the deceased, a CMO statement here said.
He also lauded the rescue mission carried out at the accident site by officials and locals on late Friday night, it added.
