Terror behind Pulmedu stampede? Kerala govt to probe

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Did terrorists trigger the Pulmedu tragedy that killed 102 Ayyappa pilgrims on January 14? The state government is probing.

It has asked the one-man Justice (retd) M.R. Hariharan Nair Commission to check the conspiracy angle to the stampede.

Among the terms of reference in a government order dated July 4 is a specific direction to probe “whether there was any conspiracy or involvement of outside persons in precipitating the tragedy.”

“The government may have received inputs suggesting the role of terrorists. There is a possibility. That is why they have included it in the terms of reference,” Mr Nair said.

He said there was a media report soon after the stampede that quoted Research and Analysis Wing (the country’s external intelligence agency) officials saying there was a possibility of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists sneaking into Sabarimala just before the tragedy.

“We will probe the possibility, given the heavy death toll,” Mr Nair said. The commission will also try to ascertain if there were lapses on the part of the authorities in preventing the tragedy and its specific cause.