Temple Chariot Falls During Dasara Festival In Andhra, 1 Dead, Many Injured

The Dasara festivities at an Andhra Pradesh village turned tragic after a temple chariot fell on devotees walking alongside it as part of the procession on Thursday. The Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy temple chariot at Kandanathi village in Kurnool district toppled while being pulled uphill. 

Videos obtained by NDTV showed the wooden chariot tilting dangerously before collapsing onto the crowd, resulting in injuries to several of them. At least one person was seriously injured and rushed to the Emmiganur Government Hospital.

The towering chariot, heavily decorated, is a central part of the celebrations. Devotees from four villages gather in large numbers to pull it together as an act of devotion.

Another video showed the exact moment the chaos unfolded. Devotees in white and traditional dress watched in shock and panic as the massive structure leaned dangerously before falling on them.

In another incident, a traditional stick fight during the Devaragattu Banni festival in Kurnool district turned deadly, claiming two lives and injuring 90 others, said an official on Friday.

The Banni festival, held on Vijay Dashami, used to begin after midnight rites following Mala Malleswara Swamy's wedding and end early in the morning, attracting thousands of villagers from surrounding regions each year.

According to Sub-Collector Mourya Bharadwaj, one died from a serious head injury and the other from a heart attack. He further mentioned that injuries were down from past years.  

Speaking with reporters, Mourya said, “Two people died and 90 others were injured during the Devaragattu Banni festival stick fight in Kurnool district.”

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Patil revealed that approximately 1,000 police officers and ten drones were deployed this year, as well as more than 32 awareness campaigns in 16 villages, which also helped reduce violent incidents.

Despite frequent injuries, officials said the festival continues with restraint and devotion, as villagers uphold ancient customs while authorities balance tradition with safety and public order.