NALGONDA: At least seven devotees suffered burns after falling into a fire pit during the Sri Parvathi Ramalingeshwara Swamy Jatara in Amanagal village of Vemulapalli mandal in the early hours of Wednesday.
Sources said the incident occurred during the chariot procession when the palanquin of the deity was being carried across the Agni Gundam, a ritual involving sacred fire pits.
As a large crowd gathered to witness the ritual, a sudden push among devotees led to a brief stampede-like situation. In the jostling, a few persons lost balance and fell into the burning embers, they added.
Police personnel deployed at the venue immediately rushed to the spot and pulled the devotees out of the pit. The injured persons were shifted to a nearby hospital and are undergoing treatment.