Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh): Over 50 people were injured, six of them seriously, in the stick fight held as part of the Devaragattu Bunny Utsavam in Kurnool district. A stick fight is an annual event organized as part of Rathotsavam (temple car festival) for the deity Mala Malleswara Swamy atop Devaragattu hills. Just like before, blood spilled once again at the Bunny festival.
Thousands of stick-wielding devotees participated in Bunny Utsavam like never before. Measures were taken by the police to prevent violence this year but the situation went out of control once the stick fight began. However, the officials heaved a sigh of relief as there was no loss of life due to the stick fight.
In Devaragattu hill temple, a stick fight is held every year on the day of Vijaya Dashami. The wedding of Mallamma with Malleswara Swamy, who was the presiding deity of the hill temple, was performed near Devaragattu of Holagunda Mandal at 12 o'clock at night. This year, it was delayed by an hour due to rain. Although it was raining, after the celestial marriage (Kalyanam), the stick fight was held.
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In the surrounding areas of the hill, the festival idols were taken in a procession. The devotees from villages, Neraniki, Neraniki Tanda, and Kothapeta took part in the procession. Residents of Aluru, Suluvai, Ellarthi, Arikara, Nidravatti and Bilehal villages also arrived to take part in the festival. They formed teams among themselves and took on one another with sticks.
More than 50 people were injured in this stick fight. The condition of six people became critical. They have been shifted to Adoni and Aluru hospitals and are being treated. The measures taken by the police to prevent violence during the Bunny Utsavam did not work. Even though surveillance was strengthened with CCTV cameras and drone cameras, awareness programs were conducted a month before, but the locals continued their tradition. Lakhs of devotees from the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh flocked to the temple to witness this festival.
Meanwhile, the boy who died while coming to Devaragattu stick fight was identified as Rabindranath Reddy from Shiruguppa in Karnataka. Police said the boy might have died of a heart attack.
