‘Preventable tragedy had we been informed’

CHENNAI: There was no intimation to the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) from the management of Sri Dharmalingeshwarar temple, Nanganallur about the ceremony which involves volunteers and priests getting into water, according to TNFRS officials.

“If they had informed us earlier, a team would have been stationed ready with inflatable boats and lifebuoys. Such a tragedy could have been averted,” said a senior official with TNFRS.

The temple management had informed the Pazhavanthangal police 10 days ago about the festivities but did not elaborate on the Theerthavari ceremony which involves getting into the water.

For Moovarasampet residents, who had formed a movement to revive the pond after a 15-year struggle with the authorities, Wednesday’s tragedy would surely haunt them for a while.

“Renovation of the pond started in 2019 with politicians across party lines coming together to take up the cause. Eventually, the pond got a walkway and has been in active public use for the past 3 years,” said R Mani, a local resident.

GK Ravi, Moovarasampet panchayat president, said that the temple management in Nanganallur has been conducting the Theerthavari ritual in the pond for the past 3 years.

“For the first year, all precautionary measures were in place. The second and third year, they seem to have not considered the drawbacks. The tragedy could have been avoided,” Ravi said.

The first set of rituals happened at 7 am. Ravi added that the tragedy happened during the second set of rituals that began around 9 am.

Stressing the importance of the presence of firemen during such temple festivities, Guindy Station Fire Officer (SFO), Thamizh Pandian said, “Rescue personnel are trained to prevent such things from happening. We would have thrown a rope or a life buoy at the first sight of struggle itself,” the SFO said.

A senior official with Fire department said that apart from the complacency, what irked the rescue personnel more was that despite the presence of other priests and public who were watching outside, not many attempted to rescue the youths.

“The rescue operation began only after the firemen reached the scene. By that time, considerable time was lost,” the official said.

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GK Ravi, Moovarasampet panchayat president

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For the first year, all precautionary measures were in place. The second and third year, they seem to have not considered the drawbacks.