Palakkad: A ten-year-old boy suffered burns after falling over burning embers during the 'Kanalattam' ritual at Puthanthara Mariyamman Kovil in Melarcode grama panchayat near Alathur here on Saturday.
From a video of the incident accessed by Onmanorama, the boy can be seen holding a hand of his father as he ran over the embers. Toward the end of the pit, he stumbled and fell on his chest before being lifted to safety.
According to reports, the boy was rushed to a nearby private hospital where he was given first-aid and then shifted to a hospital in Coimbatore, where the family resides.
The Alathur Police have registered a case on the direction of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The Palakkad district unit of the Child Welfare Committee has also sought a report on the incident.
“Kanalaattam is an annual ritual conducted at the kovil as part of Shivarathri. The incident occurred at 5 am. The boy’s family belongs to our village, but is now settled in Coimbatore. It is learnt that the injuries are not serious,” said Rariyamkandam Geetha, member from the Puthanthara ward of Melarcode grama panchayat.
