Hyderabad: More than 1,500 pilgrims from the Telugu states are stuck at the Sabarimala Sannidanam due to floods in the river Pampa. Mr V. Satyanarayana from Kothapet in the city, who visited the shrine on Thursday morning, said there was heavy flow of water in the Pampa when they started climbing the hill. “When we tried to come back, the police held us back.”
He said pilgrims were allowed to cross the river on Friday afternoon when the water flow reduced. “We crossed the river with the help of ropes. Our team is safe,” said Mr Satyanarayana, a guru swamy leading about 120 Lord Ayyappa devotees. They had started on a padayatra from Hyderabad 39 days back.
Mr J. Venkatesh, who was at the sannidanam, said that the roads leading to Sabari were affected due to heavy rain. “The roads from Kumuli and Pathanam- titta are overflowing and it has become dangerous with thick fog.”He said the water from the Pampa had reached the parking area and many vehicles of pilgrims from Telangana state, AP, Tamil Nadu and Kerala were submerged. “Police is trying to recover the vehicles with ropes,” said Mr Venkatesh, a guru swamy.
Mr A. Bala Krishna Goud and Mr G. Pavan Naidu, who returned from Sabari after walking to the temple from Hyderabad, said the Pulimed route was in bad shape. “The situation is the worst in the Periyar tiger reserve. Nearly 15 members of my team were attacked by leeches. The route from Pulimed to Sri Rama Padam, which is on hills, was slippery,” said Mr Goud, a guru swamy.
A vehicle carrying AP police personnel who were returning from their posting at Sabarimala met with an accident when a KSRTC bus rammed into it vehicle. Fourteen police personnel suffered injuries and were shifted to the Pathanamtitta hospital. The condition of eight police constables is serious. Another vehicle carrying devotees from Guntur met with an accident and six were injured at the same spot.
