At least 64 people, including several children, were injured as a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from Tamil Nadu fell into a gorge in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district on Tuesday.
The incident took place at 1.30 pm when the devotees were returning after darshan at the Lord Ayyapa temple. According to reports, the bus, while negotiating a curve, veered off the road and fell into the gorge at Elavunkal near Nilackal.
The injured have been shifted to Pathanamthitta district hospital and Kottayam Medical College hospital. The condition of the bus driver is said to be critical.
All the pilgrims were from Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu.
Kerala health minister Veena George has directed district medical officer to arrange all facilities to provide better treatment to those injured.
In a similar incident in November 2022, more than 20 people had been injured when a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh met with an accident and overturned.
