Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Rain slows down pilgrims' progress

Braving the elements:Pilgrims with their ‘irumudikkettu' covered with plastic raincoats undertaking the trek to Sannidhanam from Pampa on Saturday afternoon.

PATHANAMTHITTA: Sabarimala pilgrims were put to hardship due to heavy downpour in the forests on Saturday.

The Pampa swelled with heavy inflow from the catchments owing to incessant rain. Security personnel have alerted pilgrims about the strong currents in the bathing ghats at the Pampa.

The parking lots at Nilackal have been turned slushy and roads leading to them have been badly damaged in the rain.

Inaccessible

Many vehicles were found parked on either side of the road between Plappally and Chalakkayam as the parking lots at Nilackal had become inaccessible.

However, the rain did not affect the inflow of pilgrims to Sabarimala. Thousands of pilgrims undertook the trek, braving the downpour.

Pilgrim's body found

The body of a pilgrim was found lying 2.5 km upstream of Kumbalamthodu stream in the dense forests on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified Sivarama Panicker, 65, from Malappuram district. He had been missing since the past three days. The body was first sighted by forest guards in the morning.

The Ayyappa Seva Sanghom volunteers shifted the body from the deep forests to Pampa. The body was taken to Pathanamthitta General Hospital for post-mortem examination, the police said.

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