The Kerala government will bear the medical expenses of the injured.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to bear the medical expenses of victims of a temple fire near Neeleswaram in Kasaragod district that left 154 people injured, eight of them seriously.

The incident took place late on Monday at the Anjottanbalam Veererkavu temple near Neeleswaram when firecrackers stored nearby exploded, according to police.

The decision to cover the medical expenses of those injured in the incident was taken at a cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement.

Three persons, including two temple committee officials, were arrested in connection with Tuesday’s incident after a case was registered under the Explosive Substances Act and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the fire.

Moreover, the additional district magistrate has been directed to conduct a separate investigation into the incident and submit a report.

The firecrackers were burst inside the temple premises without permission and the accident occurred due to carelessness and negligence of the accused, police said.

The incident occurred when hundreds of people, including women and children, gathered to watch the Theyyam performance at the temple.

Theyyam is a centuries-old ritual performance performed in temples and ‘kavoos’ (sacred groves) in the Malabar (northern Kerala) region of Kerala.