In Tamil Nadu, seven devotees were killed and ten injured in the stampede during a local temple festival near Thuraiyur in Trichy, today, police said.  The tragedy occurred when hundreds of people gathered for the ‘padikasu’, temple coin distribution ceremony, held as part of annual ‘Chithira Pournami’ festival, at the ‘Karuppasamy’ temple in Muthiampalayam village.

Expressing anguish over the loss of lives, Chief Minister K Palaniswami ordered a solatium of Rs one lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.