Eeranna of Suluvai village died and 70 others sustained injuries in the ritualistic stick fight during ‘Banni Utsavam’ at Devaragattu of Holgunda mandal in the district late on Saturday.
The condition of six persons, who sustained head injuries, were said to be critical. A few others suffered fractures. The injured were rushed to the government hospital at Adoni for treatment.
Paying a deaf ear to the warning issued by the police, and despite heavy rain, the participants indulged in the ritualistic fight, resulting in bloodshed.
People of 13 villages divided into several groups and participated in the traditional fight during the procession of the idols of Sri Malleswara Swamy and Sri Malamma, the presiding deities of Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy temple, whose celestial wedding was performed on the night of Vijaya Dasami .
People of Kothapet and Arikera thanda vied with one another to carry the processional deities. Later, when the idols were taken in a procession to the areas such as Padalagattu, Rakshapada, Sami Vruksham, and Basavannagudi under the illumination of torches, people of several villages resorted to the fight in their bid to carry the deities.
Devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka turned out in large numbers and, as per an estimate, over one lakh people took part in the festivities.
Police use drones
SP Gopinath Jatti deployed 1,200 personnel and set up check-posts on all the roads leading to Devaragattu to check vehicles and seize sticks and liquor.
The police counselled the people of Devaragattu and nearby villages against using sticks. But the people paid a deaf ear to their advice.
The police monitored the festivities using drone and CC cameras.
