At least 107 people have lost their lives and several others were severely injured in a massive fire that broke out at Paravur’s Puttingal temple Kerala’s Kollam district in the wee hours of Sunday. As details of this man-made tragedy, and the audacity with which rules were flouted, became apparent, the house that was most sought after, was that of eighty-year-old woman, Pankajakshi Amma.
Though many people living near the temple were against the fireworks extravaganza and the competition each year, it was only Pankajakshi who had the courage to file a complaint against the temple, seeking a ban on the fireworks display.
For the past four years, her children based in London have been scared for their mother living alone in her house just 50 metres from the temple, and fighting it out.
The additional district magistrate’s order disallowing the festival clearly states that though more locals had complaints, only Pankajakshi was willing to file an official one.
However, her battle was in vain, as the fire caused by the fireworks killed at least 107 people, and left 383 people injured.
On Saturday morning, she claims that a few men had arrived at her house to threaten her.
Her son-in-law Prakash, who had arrived a few days ago from London said,
Prakash and his wife says they saw two injured people being taken out, but the fireworks still continued.
Each year the family stays in a relative’s house during the fireworks. When the rest of the family came back in early next morning, their house had been significantly damaged, and body parts scattered everywhere.
Though the terrible tragedy has come as a huge wake up call for the villagers, the octogenarian fears that the fireworks will resume at some point. She vows to continue her fight and resort to legal steps to ensure a total ban on fireworks display.
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