The incident occurred late Sunday night while the devotees were sleeping in a temple room.

The incident occurred late Sunday night while the devotees were sleeping in a temple room.

The incident occurred late Sunday night while the devotees were sleeping in a temple room.

Hubballi (Karnataka): Nine devotees of Lord Ayyappa sustained severe burn injuries in an LPG cylinder explosion at a Shiva temple here in Sainagar, police told PTI on Monday.

The incident occurred late Sunday night while the devotees were sleeping in a temple room. All nine victims were rushed to KIMS Hospital, where their condition remains critical, according to police sources.

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Preliminary investigations suggest the explosion was caused by improper handling of the cylinder knob after cooking. The devotees were preparing for a pilgrimage to the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala when the tragedy struck.