Beltangady: Bee attack - Nearly 80 devotees injured at Gadaikallu hill
Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady
Beltangady, Mar 24: Nearly a hundred devotees who had been to Gadaikallu hill on Sunday March 24 to offer prayers in observance of the Lenten season were stung by bees. Among them about 80 were injured, more than 8 of them seriously.
Sources said after the incident, the injured spent a harrowing time on the hill awaiting help for more than four hours.
As every year, more than 500 parishioners of Holy Redeemer Church visited the Gadaikallu hill on the occasion of Palm Sunday, led by parish priest Fr James D'Souza and assistant parish priest Fr Melwyn Noronha. By 2.30 pm they reached the spot in several vehicles and began climbing the hill. After finishing the prayers they began to disperse. The priests cautioned them to be careful and not disturb honey combs as last time too some devotees had been stung and injured. They warned that the bees might have already been stirred by their arrival.
However, despite the warning, a few from Ujire side began to climb higher after the prayers were over. All at once, a swarm of bees descended on the groups of devotees and attacked them. As the road was narrow and treacherous, there was not enough place to escape or take shelter. There were women, elderly and children in the groups. As the bees swarmed around at the spot, those who were below could not go to their rescue either.
Assistant parish priest Fr Melwyn Noronha was injured after he had suffered a fall while trying to escape from the bees. Among the others injured were Praveen and Jeevan. Some of them managed to take refuge in the nearby Tipu fort.
Finally, help arrived and first aid was given to the injured at the bottom of the hill. While some escaped with minor stings, others sustained injuries. Around eight of them were taken in an ambulance and admitted to hospital. The others were brought back by private vehicles.
As soon as news spread, hundreds of locals gathered at the spot and helped in the rescue operation.