Kozhikode (Kerala), March 9 A woman who had suffered severe burn injuries while participating in the Attukal Pongala in Thiruvananthapuram recently died at a hospital here on Monday, family sources said.
The deceased, Vijisha, a resident of West Hill here, succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this northern district.
She sustained burn injuries while preparing the pongala offering in an earthen hearth in front of a hotel in Thampanoor, they said.
As she suffered burns from a hearth placed in the back row, Vijisha was immediately shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram.
She was later shifted to a private hospital in Kozhikode for further treatment, a relative told reporters here.
The relative alleged that adequate security arrangements and safety precautions were absent in the area where they performed the pongala ritual.
"The tragedy happened due to the negligence of the authorities. The hearths were arranged very closely to each other, and people were not willing to make any changes even when asked to keep a distance between each hearth. Even police personnel were reluctant to intervene," he alleged.
The spread of the fire did not become immediately apparent due to the thick smoke around, he said, adding that there was no facility nearby to extinguish the flames.
The deceased woman and her family reached Thiruvananthapuram on March 2 and stayed at a hotel to take part in the pongala ritual held at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
The annual Attukal Pongala, considered one of the largest gatherings of women in the world, saw the participation of lakhs of women from within and outside the state.