Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru (SP)

Tumakuru, Mar 9: During the ritual in which devotees walk on a heap of embers as part of the annual fair dedicated to Goddess Maramma at Heththenehalli in the district in the early hours on Tuesday March 8, over 80 persons suffered burn injuries. 18 of them are said to be in critical condition. All the injured stand admitted into hospitals.

The car festival of the said village has historic significance. The devotees normally pull the chariot through a designated route after they walk on red hot embers filled in a pit. The ritual began at about 4.30 am. It has been the practice among the devotees to pour castor seeds on the embers during this ritual. It is said that thousands of people were vying to walk on the embers, and many of them put castor seeds along with plastic sachets into the embers. After a devotee stepped on one such plastic during the melee, he fell into the heap of embers, after which a large number of people, who were following him, too fell down, suffering burn injuries in the bargain.

Others on the spot including police personnel and fire brigade staff helped the devotees to come out of the pit. 18 whose burn injuries gave cause for concern, were shifted to Victoria Hospital Bengaluru, while the others were taken to different hospitals including the district hospital here. Thereafter, the car festival went ahead as planned, but the celebrations were of a low key because of this tragedy.