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Seven devotees killed in temple festival stampede.

Distribution of the coins is the main event of the festival, which draws a large number of devotees from in and around the village.

TIRUCHY: At least seven devotees including four women were killed and over 15 others were injured due to suffocation and stampede at a temple festival at Muthaiyampalayam near Thuraiyur in Tiruchy district on Sunday.

Police said a large number of devotees had gathered for the annual "Chithira Pournami" festival, followed by another festival at Sri Vandikaruppannaswamy temple during which temple priests give each devotee few coins (Pidi Kaasu) in line with their faith that if the coins are preserved safely at their homes, household incomes will rise.

The temple authorities had made elaborate arrangements to distribute the coins sanctified at the feet of Sri Vandikaruppannaswamy to the devotees today.
There was a huge rush of devotees from different parts of Tamil Nadu, who began assembling here since Saturday night, to receive the blessed coins, police said.

Although the temple authorities erected barricades to regulate the devotees crowd, at one stage there was a stampede when number of them fell the on the floor, while others stepped on the devotees who had fallen down. In this melee, seven devotees were crushed to death on the spot due to suffocation and more than 15 others were injured. Police rushed to the spot and removed the injured to the Government hospital at Thuraiyur. The deceased were identified as Ms. Kathayee (38) and Ms. Valli (46) of Ariyalur district, Ms. Shanthi (47) of Namakkal district, Ms. Poongavanam (46) of Cuddalore district, Ramar (52) of Perambalur district, Lakshmi Kanthan (60) of Karur district, and Raghavel (52) of Cuddalore district. Following the tragedy, the other rituals as part of the festival were stopped midway. Tiruchy district collector S. Sivarasu, IG Central region, Mr. Varadharaju, SP Tiruchy district Ziaul Haque and others rushed to the spot and consoled the injured at Government hospital at Thuraiyur. PM SOLATIUM: In a touching gesture, Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi announced a solatium of `two lakh to the kin of each of the deceased in the Tamil Nadu temple tragedy on Sunday and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured.

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