A screenshot of a video showing a boy trying to cross the pit of burning coals at Mariamman temple in Thiruvallur district on Sunday, August 11, 2024.
A seven year-old boy has sustained severe injuries after falling into burning coal while participating in the fire-walk ritual at a temple festival near Arambakkam in Thiruvallur district on Sunday (August 11, 2024).
According to the police sources, this happened on Sunday night during a ceremony organized at Mariamman temple in Kattukollaimedu village near Arambakkam as part of the recent annual festival of the temple. A hundred villagers fasted for it to participate and then crossed over burning charcoal.
On that night, representatives of various ages took turns crossing it before Monish could walk up. Others around him asked Monish that was Manikandan’s son residing in the same village that he should proceed with fire walking.
This video seems to suggest that a policeman tried to force him into it. The child still seemed unsure so someone behind him grabbed his wrist and entered together with him. However, he fell down when he lost his balance onto ashes. He was pulled out immediately but sustained severe burns which saw him taken to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.
The police sources said that 50 percent burns were treated with an ICU admission of this guy. A case related to this incident has been registered by Arumbakkam Police.
To recall, in July of 2023, during a similar fire-walk ritual involving her grandfather who was carrying her across hot coals as part of a vow fulfillment at Uthukottai’s Draupathi Amman Temple end up slipping and falling face down thus leaving her with severe burns.
