Thiruvananthapuram

The Kerala Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has approved a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the four victims who died in the firecracker blast at the Anjootambalam Veererkavu Temple in Nileshwaram. The incident occurred last week when firecrackers stored for a festival accidentally ignited.

In addition to the compensation, the state government had earlier decided to cover the medical expenses of all the injured. A total of 154 people were injured, with around 100 still receiving treatment, including 15 in critical care units. The four deceased, identified as Shibin Raj, Biju, Ratheesh, and Sandeep, were all in their late 30s. While Shibin Raj passed away on Monday, the others succumbed to their injuries later in the week.

The accident took place late on Monday night and is being blamed on the temple authorities’ failure to follow safety protocols. Many of the injured were spectators attending the popular ‘Theyyam’ ritual, which attracts large crowds.

Following the tragedy, the police arrested three officials for negligence, although a local court initially granted them bail, which was later revoked by the district court. In response, the temple has canceled all future events, and other temples in the region are now enforcing strict safety measures for firecracker displays.