Kasaragod: The death toll from the recent firecracker explosion at the Anjootambalam temple in Kasaragod rose to two, as another individual, Ratheesh, succumbed to severe burn injuries. Ratheesh, a barber and a resident of Kinavoor, was under treatment on ventilator support at MIMS Hospital in Calicut due to burns covering more than 60% of his body. He passed away early Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, a 38-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, Sandeep, from Kinavoor, Choyamkode, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday while receiving treatment at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kannur. Sandeep sustained burns covering over 45% of his body, including serious airway injuries, and was on ventilator support.

The explosion happened in the early hours of October 29 at the Veererkavu Anjootambalam Temple, where firecrackers valued at Rs 24,000 were stored for a Theyyam festival. The blast left at least 154 people injured, with 98 still receiving treatment across hospitals in Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Mangalore. Three of the injured remain on ventilator support, according to the district collector's statement.

Updated list of admitted patients
District Hospital, Kanhangad – 1
Sanjeevani Hospital, Kanhangad – 6
Pariyaram Medical College, Kannur – 2
Aishal Hospital, Kanhangad – 14
MIMS, Kannur – 26
MIMS, Calicut – 5 (3 on ventilator support)
AJ Medical College, Mangalore – 29
Deepa Hospital, Kanhangad – 1
Baby Memorial Hospital, Kannur – 6
KS Hegde Medical College, Mangalore – 1
Fr Mullers Medical College – 1
Sunrise hospital Kanhangad – 3

In response to the incident, Kasaragod District Police Chief D Shilpa has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to lead the probe. The district administration has also directed the additional divisional magistrate to conduct an independent inquiry, while the Kerala State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance and requested detailed reports from the district collector and police chief.