Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Oct 22 (PTI) A man died and over 100 people sustained injuries during the traditional Banni festival at Devaragattu in Kurnool district, which drew around two lakh people, a police
official said on Thursday.
The man died due to low blood pressure, they said.
He was shifted to a hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment. There were no injuries on his body, and the doctor attributed the death to low blood pressure, the official said.
Police registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as a precautionary measure in case questions were raised over the death, he said.
The annual Banni festival is held at Devaragattu in Holagonda mandal at midnight on Vijayadashami, following the traditional wedding rituals of Mala Malleswara Swamy. Devotees from several villages participated in the ritual stick fight, a centuries-old practice rooted in local customs and religious beliefs. ‘Nearly 140 people sustained injuries during the festival,” the official said.
Participants from villages, including Nerani, Kothapet and Nerani observe religious vows before the festival, abstaining from meat and alcohol and maintaining celibacy. The festival involves competing groups attempting to take possession of the deity’s idol, with participants continuing the tradition despite the risk of injuries.
Around 1,000 police personnel were deployed for security, while 150 CCTV cameras and six drones were used for surveillance, the official said. PTI MS KH
