Karnataka Cylinder Explosion Claims Life of Another Ayyappa Devotee, Total Deaths Reach 8
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Hubballi (Karnataka), Dec 31 (NationPress) The death toll in the cylinder explosion incident in Karnataka's Hubballi has now reached eight, as another individual lost his life due to burn injuries on Tuesday morning.
The latest victim has been identified as Prakash Barakera, aged 42, who resided in Unakal, Hubballi.
Currently, another young Ayyappa devotee, Vinayaka, is undergoing treatment at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi. The seventh victim, Tejeshwar Saatare, 27, from Ramanagar, also succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.
Prakash Barakera’s two distraught sisters expressed their grief, stating that they felt abandoned by God after losing their brother, who was a father figure to them. “He had been making the Sabarimala pilgrimage for 15 years. We spoke to him early in the morning, believing he would return home, but by 6 a.m., he was gone,” they recounted.
A total of nine individuals, all Ayyappa devotees preparing for the Sabarimala pilgrimage, suffered critical burn injuries in the explosion that occurred in Achchavva Colony, Hubballi.
The other deceased include Ajjasamy (also known as Nijalingappa Bepari, 58), Sanjay Savadatti (19), Lingaraj Biranura (20), Raju Mogeri (16), Shankar Urbi (30), and Manjunath Wagmode (18). Of the eight deceased, five were the sole children of their parents.
Dr. S.F. Kammar, Director of KIMS Hubballi, reported that the victims were admitted to the hospital early last Monday, with their conditions being critical due to burns exceeding 80 percent.
“Despite this, we assembled a dedicated team to provide medical, paramedical, and nursing care. We also sought advice from specialists across the state and the nation. Unfortunately, two victims passed away in the last 24 hours. However, another boy with 24 percent burns is recovering satisfactorily and is expected to be discharged within a couple of days,” Dr. Kammar added.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pledged a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.
