70 injured in stampede Devaragattu Banni fest in Andhra Pradesh
KURNOOL: At least 70 people were injured during a stampede at the traditional Banni stick fight held at Devaragattu hills near the Sri Malamalleswara Swamy temple in Holagunda mandal of Kurnool district, on Saturday night.
Of the injured, six were severely hurt and were shifted to Adoni Area Government Hospital for treatment. The Banni festival, also known as Karrala Samaram, is a centuries-old tradition celebrated with a stick fight.
This year’s event, held near Neraniki village, attracted nearly 4,00,000 people from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana. Around 8,000 participants clashed with sticks as part of the ritual.
During the festival, which is considered highly dangerous, at least 70 devotees sustained injuries, primarily from stampedes. Some were admitted to Adoni government hospital, while others received first aid at local medical camps in Aluru.
According to temple priest Giri Swamy, the ritual symbolises Lord Shiva, in the form of Bhairava, defeating the demons Mani and Mallasura with sticks, protecting humanity. Devotees believe that injuries and the shedding of blood during the fight are auspicious signs.
As part of the tradition, villagers from Neraniki, Neraniki Tanda, and Kothapeta, representing the followers of the deities, attempt to carry idols of Malamalleswara Swamy from Devaragattu to their villages.
Villagers from Ellarti, Arikera, Maddigeri, Nitranatta, Sulavai, and Hebbetam, representing the demons, try to obstruct them, leading to a fierce stick fight. Despite severe injuries, no case is filed, and there is no personal animosity between the groups. To maintain order, Superintendent of Police (SP) G Bindu Madhav deployed around 1,000 police personnel.