Official death toll is stated to be only 39 and not 60 as reported earlier at the site of yesterday's fire tragedy in the Brahadeeswarar Temple on Thanjavur.

CHENNAI, June 8: Rescue and relief operations were on at the site of yesterday's fire tragedy in the Brahadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur even as official sources today said only 39 people have been killed in the inferno and the subsequent stampede.

District authorities today said over telephone that while 37 people died last night, two more succumbed to their injuries this morning at the Thanjavur medical college hospital. The dead included 28 women and five children, they said.

Around 200 people were injured in the incident occurred in the precints of the 11th century Brahadeeswarar Temple, which was to have been consecrated today, after a gap of 17 years.

Around 90 people were undergoing treatment in the medical college hospital alone, sources said.

Earlier reports had said at least 60 people were killed in the fire which broke out in the yaagasala pandal last evening at the famous Shiva Temple built by Chola king Raja Raja in 1003 AD.

The consecration has now been rescheduled for Monday on the advice of Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Jayendra Saraswathi, who is presently camping in Shimla, authorities said.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, left here for Thanjavur this morning by road for an on-the-spot assessment and to check the relief operations.

The CM today announced a cash relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of those killed in the blaze. Relief amounts ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 would be given to each of the injured, depending on the seriousness of the injury. As many as 51 persons suffered burns. Thirty-one others who suffered fractures and other injuries would be given Rs 10,000 each. The district collector would decide the quantum of relief, he said.

The CM said only 33 bodies had been identified so far and many of them were old and poor who could not rush out due to stampede. He attributed the large-scale deaths to the location of the yagasala which had only one exit point. The fire service personnel also could not rush to the venue which was enclosed by the huge granite walls on other sides.

Meanwhile, former Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalitha, today blamed the state police and the consecration celebrations committee of the Brahadeeswarar Temple for yesterday's fire and stampede.

``The police did not take adequate protective measures and the celebrations committee did not coordinate its functions effectively with other departments resulting in injuries to more than 500'', she said in a statement today.

``What worries us is that whether proper planning had gone into the consecration celebrations'', she said, adding that the height of the pandal should have been raised by another seven feet. There should have been at least four exit points, while there was only one. Though five fire tenders had been positioned, only one had water to douse the fire.

Wishing the injured a speedy recovery, she urged the state government to announce adequate compensation and relief to the families of the dead and injured.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.