Tractor rams into pilgrims in Sabarimala

Nine people, including two women and two children, were injured when a tractor rammed into devotees at Sabarimala on Saturday evening. The condition of two of the injured is reported to be critical.

According to sources, the accident occurred around 6.15 p.m. when a tractor carrying waste from the Sannidhanam lost control while negotiating a steep descent along the Swami Ayyappan Road. Heavy rain at the time is believed to have contributed to the mishap, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

The tractor driver has been taken into custody by the Sannidhanam police. Preliminary reports indicated that five people were travelling on the tractor at the time of the accident.

Of the injured, three are from Kerala, four are natives of Andhra Pradesh and two are from Tamil Nadu. Some of those injured were identified as Veera Reddy (30), Nithish Reddy (26), Dhruvansh Reddy (10), Sunitha (65) and Tulasi Amma (60), besides Radhakrishnan and Vreeaswami. Of this, the condition of Radhakrishnan, a native of Idukki and Veeraswami, who hails from Tamil Nadu, is said to be critical.