BALLARI: A case of negligence was registered against the assistant executive engineer of Public Works Department, Thimmappa; assistant commissioner of Endowment Department, Mahesh; and executive officer of temple committee, Halappa in connection with the chariot toppling incident at Guru Kottureshwara festival in Kottur, a pilgrim town in Kudligi taluk of Ballari district on Wednesday. Eleven persons were injured on Tuesday when the 65-foot wooden temple car taken out as part of an annual car festival, overturned.
The action was taken by the police on a complaint filed by Chella Anjinappa, who claims to have been one of the devotees pulling the chariot when it toppled after axle of the front right wheel of the chariot broke.
Ballari deputy commissioner Ram Prasath Manohar told Express that a committee led by assistant commissioner has been formed to probe the incident. “While six devotees admitted to the government hospital in Kottur were discharged the same night (Tuesday), five injured, who were admitted to a hospital in Davangere, were discharged on Wednesday. All of them sustained minor injuries,” he said.
When asked whether safety inspection was carried out before the start of the car festival, the DC said that an official team led by PWD assistant executive engineer had conducted an inspection and given the certificate.
Meanwhile, a crane was used to shift the toppled chariot on Wednesday. This is not the first time accidents involving chariots have occurred in the district. A man had died when a chariot toppled in Yerritata Swamy car festival at Chellagurki village in Ballari taluk in 1997. Three people were killed when axle of a chariot broke during Dodda Basaveshwara car festival at Kurugodu in Ballair taluk in 1982.