A 31-year-old man, Veerakumar from Tirupur, died after falling from the seventh hill during his pilgrimage to Velliangiri temple in Coimbatore, known as the 'South Kailash.'
Coimbatore: A tragic incident occurred during a pilgrimage at Velliangiri Hills, where a man lost his life after a severe fall from one of the hills. The hills, located in Poondi near Coimbatore, are a renowned pilgrimage site, familiarly known as South Kailash. Every year, thousands of devotees trek across its seven hills to witness the self-manifested Shivalinga at the temple.Nabbing the opportunity of the Chitra Pournami festival, large crowds from Coimbatore and neighboring districts have been visiting the site for the past two days.
On the morning of April 18, Veerakumar, a 31-year-old from S.V. Colony, Tirupur, along with his friends, embarked on the challenging climb. After having darshan at the temple atop the seventh hill, Veerakumar fell while descending.
The accident resulted in severe injuries to his abdomen and legs. His friends quickly alerted the temple management and forest department officials, who facilitated his immediate descent from the hill.
Porters and emergency services transported the injured man down the hill; subsequently, he was rushed to the Poovalur Primary Health Centre by an ambulance that was on standby. After receiving initial treatment, he was transferred to the Coimbatore Government Hospital for further medical care. Despite intensive treatment, Veerakumar succumbed to his injuries. His body has been kept at the hospital for autopsy.
The Alandurai Police Department is currently investigating the incident. This particular tragedy has stirred sorrow among the devotee community, as previous incidents of death during the Velliangiri pilgrimage were mostly due to respiratory problems or cardiac issues, rather than falls.