One person died and more than 100 devotees were injured after a traditional Banni festival in Devaragattu, Kurnool district, turned violent during the early hours of October 22, with participants attacking one another with sticks and flaming torches.
The incident occurred during the Dasara celebrations linked to the celestial wedding ceremony of Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy. Violence broke out after midnight as devotees took part in the procession of the festival idols.
The deceased was identified as Pothuraju, 28, a resident of Alur. The report said the injuries sustained by more than 100 devotees were serious. The injured were moved to the Alur government hospital for treatment.
The Banni festival is a traditional event held at Devaragattu in connection with Dasara. The reported violence places the focus on the risks associated with large religious gatherings where participants carry sticks and flaming torches as part of the ritual activity.
The incident also brings emergency medical access and crowd-safety arrangements into focus. With more than 100 people requiring treatment after the clash, the Alur government hospital became the immediate destination for those injured. The available report did not provide details about the number of police personnel deployed, the crowd size, preventive restrictions or whether any arrests had been made.
The report also did not specify the full extent of the injuries, the names of other injured devotees or the official response from the district administration and police. Further details on the investigation, crowd-control measures and arrangements for the continuation of the festival were not immediately available in the supplied account.
