Violence erupts over procession route in UP

Seventeen persons suffered burns in Bhado village after bamboo sticks attached to Durga pandal touched high-tension wire

Violence and arson erupted at Khamauli village in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh following a dispute over the route of Durga immersion procession on Saturday.

In another incident in Azamgarh district on Saturday, one person was electrocuted and as many as 16 persons received severe burns in Bhado village when the bamboo sticks attached to the platform of the idol of Goddess Durga came in contact with a high-tension wire.

Tense situation prevailed in a remote Khamauli village under the Bardah police station area in Azamgarh after the people accompanying the procession clashed with the police.

The incident occurred at around 2.30 p.m. on Saturday.

A spokesman of the Director-General of Police office here said violence and arson broke out after permission was refused for taking out the procession through a new route.

The spokesman said the organisers of the immersion ceremony had been told earlier that the procession would be allowed through the old and traditional route.

When the police prevented the procession from taking a new route, some persons accompanying the procession resorted to heavy brick-batting on the security personnel.

A police jeep and a private vehicle were torched by the arsonists. The procession was taken through the new route, the police spokesman said. No casualties have been reported. No arrests have been made. A report has been lodged at the Bardah police station.

Seventeen persons suffered burns in Bhado village under the Didarganj police station area when the bamboo sticks attached to the platform of the Durga idol came in contact with a high-tension wire.

The incident occurred when the idol of the Goddess was lifted by devotees for proceeding for the immersion ceremony at around 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Hospitalised

Four of the seriously injured were referred to the District Hospital at Jaunpur where Chandni, daughter of Santosh Vishwakarma, succumbed to her injuries, the spokesman said. The others are being treated at the Primary Health Centre in Didarganj.

The situation is under control, he added.