Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 10: An Ayyappa devotee who was going to Sabarimala from Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district was killed after he was sucked by the air flow created by the train that was moving close by and threw him against an electric pole. This incident happened at Posotu near Manjeshwar on Monday January 8.

The victim of this incident was Annappa Shivappa Gowda (28), who was working as an auto rickshaw driver at Haldipur near Honnavar. He was one among 14 Ayyappa devotees who were travelling to Sabarimala in a Tempo Traveller vehicle. On Monday evening, he had requested the vehicle to stop briefly for a break. He was defecating near the railway tracks when a train coming from the direction of Mangaluru passed by at high speed from close by. Because of the air flow created by the the train's movement, Annappa was tossed against an electric pole nearby. He suffered serious injuries and died on the spot.

After the incident, the other Ayyappa devotees in the vehicle were provided accommodation at Kumble Lord Anantheshwara temple for overnight stay. On Tuesday, relatives of the deceased came from Honnavar. Postmortem was conducted at the government hospital, Mangalpady.

The deceased has left behind his parents.