1 dead, 300 injured in stone-pelting festival
1 dead, 300 injured in stone-pelting festival One person was killed and nearly 300 people were injured during the annual “Gotmar” (Stone Pelting) at Pandhurna in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district. According to the sources, 15 of them were seriously injured and were rushed to the hospital nearby. The deceased was the resident of Belgaon village. Collector Ved Prakash Sharma and Superintendent of Police Atul Singh told reporters on Monday that one person, identified as Shankar Bhalavi (28), died on the spot after being hit in the stomach by stones. During the annual festival, people of Sawargaon and Pandhurna gather on either side of Jaam River and, while throwing stones, race to snatch a flag hoisted on top of a dead tree situated in the middle of the river. It is 300-year-old fest/ tradition. It started when a boy from Pandhurna abducted a girl from Sawargaon. The couple, facing a volley of stones while crossing the river, reached Pandhurna safely due to help from the villagers, according to folklore in the region. Also Read: Kerala Cancels All Govt-funded events For 1 Year After Devastating Floods Earlier, one person had died during this festival in 2011, officials said. -PTC NEWS
