Kerala: The tragedy struck at the Puttingal Devi temple in Kollam is the reason why an NRI Pankajakshi Amma, living close to the temple was threatened when she asked authorities to ban fireworks display.
Ever since the 80-year-old teacher constructed her house in the area, the octogenarian a has been facing trouble with the annual fireworks display. “We were often ostracised for speaking up against the fireworks. Nobody realised that they were sitting on a powder keg,” said Pankajakshi.
Reportedly, the temple management even threatened the family when we filled a complaint with the district authorities. “The house was built four years ago. In the first year itself, the building was damaged and doors had been broken in the fireworks display,” she said.
Revenue officials had apparently visited the family to verify the complaint and informed them that there was a stay on the display, but it was later held. “We used to move away from the house during the time of the fireworks display every year. This time also, we were not at the house and we were staying at another house, owned by us,” she said.
As many as 105 people where killed and over 350 injured when the massive fire broke out Puttingal Devi Temple complex at nearby Paravoor early on Sunday. The tragedy struck due to firework display which caused the blaze and killed hundreds in Temple located near Paravoor, Kerala. Puttingal temple is in the coastal town of Paravur located about 60 kms from Thiruvananthapuram.
