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Sabarimala pilgrim who jumped into `aazhi' dies

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, JAN. 10. A 52-year-old pilgrim from Bangalore who jumped into the `aazhi,' the massive fireplace at Sabarimala, on Friday night died of burns at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, this morning, according to police.

Samanna Rao of Mysore Road, IX-Hally, Bangalore, reportedly jumped into the fireplace into which pilgrims put broken pieces of the ghee-filled coconuts during the pilgrim season. He even tried to walk on the fire, before the Fire Force personnel who rushed to the spot in the next few minutes had managed to pull him out with burns all over the body. He was rushed to the Medical College Hospital at Kottayam where he died. The body was sent to Bangalore today.

Seva Sanghom plea

The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom has called upon the Travancore Devaswom Board to ensure a foolproof fencing of the fireplace to check such incidents. In a statement here today, the Sanghom director, D. Vijayakumar, said immediate steps should be initiated to erect a strong fence, a few feet away from the already grilled fireplace to check pilgrims going close to the `aazhi'.

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