News Desk: One person was killed and more than 100 others were injured during a traditional stick fight held as part of the annual Banni festival in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district on Thursday, police said.
The incident took place at Devaragattu during the centuries-old ritual known as “Karrala Samaram”, in which groups of devotees from different villages compete to gain possession of the idols of the presiding deity, Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy.
According to police, the deceased was identified as Pothuraju, 28, a resident of Alur. He died after being struck with sticks during the confrontation as devotees attempted to take control of the festival idols.
The injured were taken to the government hospital in Alur for medical treatment. Emergency medical camps had also been established at the festival venue to provide immediate assistance to those wounded during the event.
Thousands of devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra gathered at Devaragattu to participate in the annual celebrations, which are held after Dussehra.
The festivities began shortly after midnight on Wednesday with the ceremonial wedding of Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy, conducted by Vedic priest Ravi Sharma. Following the ceremony, the festival idols were carried in a palanquin from a hilltop to the Simhasana Katta at the foothills.
After special prayers and a Maha Mangala Harathi, the traditional victory procession, known as the Banni Jaitrayatra, began. Devotees entered the confrontation carrying sticks and torches as they attempted to take possession of the idols.
The gathering witnessed intense scenes, with participants swinging sticks at one another. Several devotees sustained head injuries and other serious wounds during the ritual, which continued for more than half an hour.
The hill echoed with traditional slogans as thousands of people gathered under torchlight, many of them covered in turmeric powder. The celebrations continued from midnight until dawn on Devaragattu hill, which rises approximately 800 feet above the surrounding area.
The Banni festival is rooted in a traditional belief associated with a symbolic battle among devotees. Despite the risks and the injuries reported during the event, participants continued to take part in the ritual.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the safety challenges surrounding large religious gatherings where traditional practices involve physical confrontations.
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