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A 24-year-old man was killed and four others were injured when a 100-foot-high chariot, part of the historic Madduramma temple festival, collapsed on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Lohith, a resident of Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The incident occurred in Rayasandra in Parappana Agrahara while devotees were pulling two chariots towards the temple as part of an annual ritual. Bad weather, including heavy rain and strong winds, reportedly led to the accident.
The first chariot toppled at Chikka Nagamangala, causing damage to several parked vehicles. Hundreds of devotees handling the ropes fled for safety and narrowly avoided injury. The second chariot at Rayasandra crashed because miscalculations amid strong winds and rain destabilisedits structure, resulting in casualties and injuries, according to the police.
“This incident marks the first occurrence in the temple’s 100-year history,” said Rakesh, a resident of Hoskur and event organiser.
Among those injured, a 16-year-old girl is in critical condition, while the other two are stable and receiving treatment, a police officer said.
Initially, there was confusion regarding jurisdiction, but the Hebbagodi police have since taken up both cases. A case of death due to negligence has been registered against the organisers.
“The organisers did not adhere to necessary safety measures while pulling the chariots, and this is a critical aspect of the investigation,” said the police.
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