70 injured during clashes at Devaragattu Banni festival in Kurnool

On the occasion of the Dussehra festival, the stick fight in Kurnool district's Devaragattu turned bloody once again. Even in the heavy rain that fell for about two hours, the Bunny festival was held with thousands of people belonging to both communities fighting for the idol of Malamalleswara Swamy with sticks as usual. Many people reached the temple premises at midnight to take darshans Malamalleswara Swamy and attacked each other in the name of a traditional festival where more than 70 people were injured.

The injured devotees were treated at a temporary hospital set up on the spot. It seems that the condition of two of them is critical. However, the officials refused to reveal the details of the injured and did not allow the media to enter the hospital.

No matter how many measures the police and authorities took to prevent any untoward incidents from happening during this traditional festival, they could not stop the violence of the devotees. A large number of people from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka attended the festival. Ravindra Reddy (17) of Mada Suguru village in Karnataka, who had come with his family members to watch the festival, died of a heart attack.

In order to bring awareness to the people of about 40 villages and the devotees of Swami regarding this stick fight, government officials and voluntary organisations have been carrying out many programs for several years. However, there is no change in the devotees.