Vandipaeriyar, Kerala:
Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has ordered a judicial inquiry into the Sabarimala stampede tragedy that claimed 104 lives on Friday night.
Achuthanandan, who flew down by a helicopter to Kumali where the bodies of the victims were brought, also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of each of the victims, Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those with minor injuries.
The government would meet the flight and road transport charges for taking the bodies of the victims to their respective places.
The CM said the government would try to get the services of a sitting High Court judge for conducting the probe.
The Chief Minister also reviewed with his cabinet colleagues already on the spot the arrangements for transporting the bodies to their homes as most of the deceased were from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The government has also announced three-day mourning in the state.
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony cancelled their engagements in Kerala scheduled for Sunday in view of the tragedy.