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1 killed, 60 injured in annual ‘Banni’ revelry
Efforts by the district administration and the police notwithstanding, violent clash broke out between two rival groups during the annual ‘Banni’ celebrations, claiming the life of a 10-year-old boy at Devaragattu village in Kurnool district on Friday midnight. As many as 60 others suffered serious injuries.
- Police fire tear gas shells and make baton charge, but to no avail
- A large group of people armed with sticks materialise at 11 pm and start fighting a bloody battle for idols
- This time rival groups rain stones also on each other
Kurnool: Efforts by the district administration and the police notwithstanding, violent clash broke out between two rival groups during the annual ‘Banni’ celebrations, claiming the life of a 10-year-old boy at Devaragattu village in Kurnool district on Friday midnight. As many as 60 others suffered serious injuries.
The bloody annual celebrations which continue to witness stick fight between two rival groups, drawn from several villages, during the procession of presiding deity from time immemorial is said to be part of hoary religious tradition. The rival groups clashed with each to grab the presiding deity.
The clash continued for hours despite the police fired tear gas shells and launched baton charge. In the stampede that broke out at the end of the celebrations, a 10-year-boy died. He is identified as Mahesh of Nerankili village. The entire area around the temple resembled a war-torn zone.
This year, too, as was the case during the previous years, the police set up several check-posts. As many as 1000 personnel were deployed to avert violent clash between two rival groups to grab the presiding deity at midnight.
A huge number of devotees, who thronged the Malava Malleswara Swamy temple on the hill top, heaved a sigh of relief when the deadly sticks and clubs were conspicuously absent till 11 pm. But suddenly a large group of men armed with sticks materialised and macabre ritual of stick fight continued for hours under the glare of ‘kagadas’ (hand-held torches).
Even as the fight for presiding deity was about to end, the two clashing group started throwing stones at each in the streets that splattered with blood.
