TOURIST GUIDE HELD, TOLL IN TN FOREST FIRE INCREASES TO 11

A 30-year-old man, believed to be a tour guide who led a 36-member trekking group on an ill-fated expedition to Kurangani Hills in the district, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday even as the death toll increased to 11.

Ranjith was arrested on Monday night, they said, adding he was being questioned to ascertain if he had any links with a Chennai-based group believed to have arranged the expedition. Police are probing, among others, how the trekkers came into contact with Ranjith, a local.

Meanwhile, a 29-year-old woman succumbed to severe burn injuries on Tuesday, said an official. “She (Divya from Erode) was admitted in Madurai Government Hospital with severe burn injuries. She died at around 12.30pm,” a hospital official said. While nine persons lost their lives on the spot, one person died at a Madurai hospital on Monday.

A 36-member team — 24 from Chennai and 12 from Tirupur and Erode districts — had embarked on the expedition and reached Kurangani hills on March 10. The team included 25 women and three children.

Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purhohit on Tuesday visited the Madurai Government Hospital and consoled the family members of the injured.

Meanwhile, the city-based group believed to have arranged the expedition on Tuesday claimed the team had received an “entry pass” to proceed with their mission. It also blamed local farmers for the fire, killing some of the trekkers on a “women’s trek to commemorate women’s day”.

“We came to know that on March 10, the group started off from Kurangani at the base and paid fees at the forest entry checkpost who issued an entry pass,” an ‘update put up on the website of ‘Chennai Trekking Club’ (CTC) said. It may be recalled the state government had said the trekkers had not obtained required permission for the expedition.

CHENNAI: We came to know that on March 10, the group started off from Kurangani at the base and paid fees at the forest entry checkpost who issued an entry pass. WEBSITE, Chennai Trekking Club