Pandhurna (MP), Sep 11 (PTI) More than 450 persons were injured, including 10 seriously, in the traditional stone-pelting that takes place during Gotmar Mela in Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna district, a police official said on Friday.
The centuries-old event, held on the bank of the Jam river, ended during the day after the Palash tree at the centre of the ritual was felled and a traditional flag was offered to Goddess Chandi, Pandhurna Superintendent of Police Prakash Chandra Parihar said.
Three of the seriously injured persons were referred to Nagpur for treatment, while a five-year-old girl who had come to watch the festival suffered a head injury and an 11-year-old girl was also wounded, he added.
While the official figure of those injured was around 450, local sources put the figure at nearly 650, including those who suffered minor injuries. Police said the final figure was still being compiled.
Around 700 policemen were deployed for security. Twenty-two ambulances, a team of 44 doctors and seven temporary health camps were kept ready, while 10 CCTV cameras and three drones were used for surveillance, police said.
The Gotmar ritual is linked to a legend involving a young man from Pandhurna and a girl from nearby Sawargaon who were in love.
The man allegedly tried to elope with the girl and bring her to Pandhurna. When the couple reached the middle of the Jam River, villagers from Sawargaon pelted stones at them, resulting in their deaths. The ritual is believed to mark the incident.
According to residents, hundreds of people are injured every year during the Gotmar Mela.
Around 350 people were injured during last year’s event, while 17 have died over the years, they claimed.
The traditional ritual continues to draw large crowds, with participants taking part in the stone-pelting in the name of faith and tradition. PTI COR LAL BNM
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