Temple Chariot Mishap Mars Mayana Kollai Festival in Vellore

A 60-foot temple chariot toppled during the Mayana Kollai festival in Vellore district, injuring seven people. Authorities are investigating the incident, and festival organizers have been cautioned. The event, held on the Palar riverbank, is a prominent annual celebration with a history of similar accidents.

In a tragic turn of events during Vellore district's renowned Mayana Kollai festival, a towering 60-foot temple chariot collapsed, leaving seven participants seriously injured. The injured have been swiftly admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Adukkamparai.

The accident occurred around midnight as the chariot from Kazhinjur near Katpadi was being maneuvered from the riverbed onto the road after the ritual procession. Losing its balance, the chariot tilted, trapping approximately ten people. Prompt action from the police and local residents rescued the trapped individuals and rushed the injured to hospital care.

Key officials, including District Collector Subbulakshmi and Superintendent of Police Sivaraman, inspected the site and later visited the injured at the hospital. An inquiry has been commissioned, and festival organizers have been instructed to enhance safety measures to prevent future incidents. The Mayana Kollai festival, a signature event in Vellore, involves ornate chariots bearing deities, but questions about chariot safety and size regulations persist.

(With inputs from agencies.)