Theni (Tamil Nadu): A forest fire that broke out in the Western Ghats trapping a team of hikers has left 10 people dead, the Tamil Nadu government said on Monday, as an expedition turned into a nightmare for a three dozen-strong group that included women and children.

Chief minister E.K. Palaniswami said seven women and three men were killed in the fire in the Kurangani hill ranges.

Seven of the victims were from Chennai, while the others were from Erode district, he said in a statement.

"I was anguished to know that 10 persons were killed in the forest fire," the AIADMK leader said.

The 36-member group - 24 from Chennai and 12 from Tiruppur and Erode districts - had reached the Kurangani hills on March 10.

The team included 25 women and three children, according to Theni district collector Mariam Pallavi Baldev.

K. Sathyagopal, commissioner of revenue administration, said 17 of those rescued had been hospitalised.

Palaniswami said the hikers did not have permission for the expedition. "Without permission, they embarked on a trekking expedition," he said. "Trekkers should climb hills only after taking the government's nod."

He said permissions for such trips are not given during March, April and May, as the high forest ranges are dry with the possibility of forest fires spreading fast.

The chief minister has ordered a probe and legal action against those who had arranged the expedition.

The fire prompted the government in neighbouring Kerala to order a temporary ban on hiking in the state's forest areas. A decision to this effect was taken by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, a statement issued by the chief minister's office said.

The state's forest department has been directed to take all necessary precautions to prevent forest fires, the statement quoted chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan as saying.

In Chennai, police said attempts at enquiries at the office of the "volunteer" organisation believed to have arranged the ill-fated expedition had drawn a blank.

Sources said a couple of officials deputed to make enquiries at the group's office at Palavakkam found it closed.

The group's website, splashed with photographs of hikers, didn't have details of those managing its affairs. The "Contact Us" column just mentioned an email ID while the group claimed it was a "non-profit, volunteer based group which organises outdoor, sports, environmental conservation and social activities throughout the year on weekends and weekday mornings".

It said it had 40,000-odd members and that all its activities were "free (and) expenses (were) shared equally among participants".

Theni district collector Baldev said the hikers, after staying overnight at an estate in Kozhukumalai, had started their return journey to the plains on Sunday morning when they heard about the forest fire and got separated while trying to find a safe way.

The Kurangani-Kozhukumalai hills in the Western Ghats are located near Bodinayakanur, about 40km from Theni.

Health secretary J. Radhakrishnan said rescue teams of officials and health department personnel were camping in the hills.

Four air force helicopters and 10 commandos were involved in the rescue operation, according to a tweet by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

A defence press note said 16 Garud commandos were in action since the morning. Eight commandos had already reached the top and had started dousing the fire, it said.

State health minister C. Vijayabhaskar said the injured hikers were received at Kurangani by a medical team. PTI