Devaragattu: Two people died and 90 others were injured during the Devaragattu Banni festival stick fight in Kurnool district, officials confirmed on Friday. The Banni festival, held on Vijay Dashami, began after midnight with rituals marking the symbolic wedding of Mala Malleswara Swamy and concluded early the next morning, drawing thousands of devotees from surrounding villages.

Participants, who observed strict vows of fasting, celibacy, and dietary discipline, engaged in the ritualistic traditional stick fight in Andhra Pradesh to symbolically capture the deity’s idol, applying turmeric to treat minor injuries during the event. Sub-Collector Mourya Bharadwaj stated that one person died from a severe head injury and another succumbed to a heart attack. He noted that the number of injuries was lower compared to previous years, despite the inherent risks of the Kurnool stick fight 2025.

“Two people died and 90 others were injured during the Devaragattu Banni festival stick fight in Kurnool district,” Mourya told reporters. Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil said nearly 1,000 police personnel and 10 drones were deployed, along with over 32 awareness campaigns across 16 villages, which helped reduce violent clashes and improve festival safety in India.

Despite recurring injuries, officials noted that the Devaragattu festival continues with devotion and restraint, as villagers uphold ancient customs while authorities strive to balance tradition with public safety and order.

With inputs from PTI