India News | Andhra Pradesh: 2 Dead, 40 Injured at Banni Festival

Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Oct 25 (PTI) Two persons died and around 40 people suffered injuries at Devaragattu village in Kurnool district during the Banni festival, a police official said on Wednesday.

The two died after they fell from the branch of a tree while trying to escape a flaming torch that was thrown in their direction, the official said about the festival held in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

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"Two persons died after somebody unintentionally threw a flaming torch towards the tree and they fell trying to escape it," Kurnool superintendent of police (SP) G Krishnakanth told PTI. Several people had climbed on to tree branches to get a better view of the festivities, he said.

Also, during the stick fight that is part of the festivities, over 40 people were injured, the police official added.

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Meanwhile, another person died due to natural causes, the police official said, adding that he was from Karnataka.

The festival is usually observed at midnight each year.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)