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Tamil Nadu

Woman devotee faints near Tiruvannamalai temple on Pournami girivalam day, dies

The deceased, Usharani, a resident of Arakkonam Gandhinagar area in Ranipet, had come to Tiruvannamalai on February 12 with her relatives to undertake girivalam, a pilgrimage around the Arunachaleshwar hill on full-moon nights.

Online Desk

CHENNAI: A 58-year-old woman died on Tuesday after she went to offer prayers at the Arunachaleshwar temple in Tiruvannamalai on the occasion of Pournami girivalam.

The deceased, Usharani, a resident of Arakkonam Gandhinagar area in Ranipet, had come to Tiruvannamalai on February 12 with her relatives to undertake girivalam, a pilgrimage around the Arunachaleshwar hill on full-moon nights. After some time, she got separated from her family as there was a huge crowd. Her family members subsequently returned home assuming she would be safe as she was a regular at the temple.

However, some devotees saw Usharani lying unconscious near the SIDCO bus depot and alerted the police who rushed her to the Tiruvannamalai government hospital, added a Daily Thanthi report.

Usharani died without responding to treatment at the hospital. The police have registered a case and are investigating.

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