Tourist dies as illegal tent stay collapses in rain

Nishma Shahabudeen had been staying in a tent in a Wayanad resort, which was functioning without licence

- LESLY JOSEPH @Kalpetta

NISHMA Shahabudeen, 25, a resident of Chaliyar panchayat, has become another victim of uncontrolled and illegal tourism activities in 900 Kandi in Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad district, where forest stay, adventure tourism, and tent stays are flourishing. She died while staying in a tent in a resort, which has been functioning without a licence, on Thursday early morning.

The Tentagram Resort owned by Emerald Group in 900 Kandi in Puthumala ward, has been closed following the incident. The Meppadi panchayat officials took action citing lack of safety measures and lack of licence for the tents. "Nishma is a beautician and she came with her friends to stay at the tent on Tuesday. It was a large wooden-roofed shed. There were four tourist groups staying in different tents under the roof. The roof collapsed around 2 am on Thursday while the inmates were sleeping. The tent was made of wood and was covered with grass. It was raining for hours in the area. The roof was soaked and it collapsed while we were sleeping beneath," said Shamin, a friend of Nishma.