CHENNAI: A 36-year-old devotee from Andhra Pradesh died after getting trapped inside the cave-like passage at the Idukku Pillayar Temple on the Girivalam path in Tiruvannamalai late on Friday night (July 24).
According to a Maalaimalar report, the deceased was identified as Manikumar, who had come to Tiruvannamalai with his family to perform Girivalam.
Manikumar entered the cave-like passage but struggled to come out due to his extreme obesity. He subsequently experienced breathing difficulties and fainted inside the passage.
Fellow devotees managed to bring him out and rushed him to the Tiruvannamalai Government Hospital in a 108 ambulance. However, doctors declared that Manikumar had died on the way to the hospital.
The Tiruvannamalai Taluk police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.
Following the incident, the temple authorities have advised devotees with obesity and respiratory problems to avoid entering the cave-like section of the temple.
The temple features a small cave-like structure with three entrances, where devotees enter through the rear entrance while lying down, move forward through the narrow passage, and exit through the front entrance before offering prayers to Nandi and Idukku Pillayar.