Stick fight festival cancelled, Section 144 imposed in Andhra's Kurnool

Traditional stick fight celebration called 'Banni festival' has been cancelled this year at Devaragattu village in Kurnool district in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

The police have set up 11 check posts at Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka borders, cancelled Karnataka RTC bus services for Aluru, Holagonda and Halaharvi Mandals for today. However, local people want to celebrate the traditional stick fight.

In this wake, police have imposed Section 144 in Devaragattu and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, Adoni DSP and RDO have met Minister Gummanuri Jayaram this morning and requested him to talk to the people and appeal them not to celebrate the stick fight festival this year. They expressed concern that coronavirus may spread if thousands of people gather during the celebration.

People of Devarakonda and surrounding villages observe Banni festival on the next day of Vijay Dashmi every year.

They fight to get hold of the ceremonial idols of the deity of a local temple. In this annual ceremony, many people suffer injuries every year. This year, the district administration has cancelled the celebrations amid COVID-19 crisis.

( With inputs from ANI )