Overview
- Authorities limited daily entry to one lakh and restored the spot-booking cap to 20,000, regulated Nilakkal–Pamba movement, opened new counters at Nilakkal, and readied queue complexes with water and light meals.
- The Kerala High Court sharply criticized the Travancore Devaswom Board and the state for poor planning and coordination, sought affidavits by Friday, and pressed for sector-wise capacity details and safer crowd flow.
- NDRF teams have been deployed to support crowd management and emergency response, with one unit arrived from Thrissur and another expected from Chennai.
- A 58-year-old woman from Koyilandy died after collapsing in the queue, and a bus carrying Karnataka pilgrims overturned near Erumely, causing minor injuries to three passengers.
- Police said pressure spiked when about 37,000 spot entries were allowed in a day and many virtual-queue holders arrived on wrong dates, as opposition leaders demanded judicial oversight and an expert review.