23-Nov-2024 06:41 PM
2484
Chennai, Nov 23 (Reporter) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday
announced a solatium of Rs two lakh each to the families of a mahout and
his relative who were trampled to death by the Tiruchendur Lord Muruga
temple elephant a couple of days back.
The Tiruchendur temple situated on the beach front in the southern Tuticorin
district, is one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga and will attract lakhs of
devotees from several parts of India and abroad.
In a statement here this evening, the Chief Minister said the mahout Udhayakumar
and his relative Sisubalan were trampled to death by the temple elephant Deivanai
on November 18.
While Sisubalan died on the spot, the mahout died at a hospital where he was
admitted, without responding to treatment.
Expressing deep anguish and grief over their death, Mr Stalin offered his condolences
and announced a solatium of Rs two lakh each to their families from the Chief Minister's
Public Relief Fund.
It may be recalled that in a tragic incident, the temple elephant of renowned ‘Lord
Subramania Swamy Temple’ at Tiruchendur trampled its mahout and a devotee to
death on Monday.
The 27-year-old pachyderm ‘Deivanai’ turned wild, when Udhayakumar, the mahout
and Sisubalan attempted to feed fruits.
The elephant trampled the duo under its legs after hurling them to the ground with its
trunk.
The temple was closed for public darshan for nearly one hour, as the priests performed
special yagnams to cleanse the temple and later re-opened to enable the devotees to
have darshan.
Senior forest officials visited the temple and inspected the health condition of the elephant,
which was now under a rejuvenation regime.
Deivanai was generally calm and it had not attacked either mahout or pilgrims in the past,
HR and CE department officials said...////...