Bhopal, Nov 2
At least 15 persons were injured during a traditional 'Hingot war' in the Gautampura area in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.
The traditional 'Hingot war' is organised every year a day after the Diwali festival in the Gautampura area, which is around 60 km from district headquarters in Indore.
Several people participate in the event and hurl "burning arrows" at each other. They believe it is not just a tradition but a display of courage.
Gautampura police station in-charge Arun Solanki said adequate police personnel were deployed to manage the situation at the site.
He said the villagers celebrated their traditional 'Hingot war'.
As per the tradition, after the festival of Diwali, the residents of Gautampura and Runji villages gather and pray at a temple. Following this, the Hingot fight commences, although there is no historical document on when and how this tradition began.
In the traditional practice, Hingot, a fruit, is plucked, dried, stuffed with gunpowder and tied to wood. It is then lit up and thrown at each other. It happens in the presence of police and district administration.
Over a dozen ambulances along with medical staff were deployed to provide immediate treatment to the person injured during the game.
On Friday evening, 150 people from two groups- Turra and Kalgi- took part in the fest.
"At least 15 persons were injured in their traditional fest. Five ambulances and medical teams were deployed on both sides," Gautampura Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ravi Verma said.
According to information, at least 35 persons were injured during last year's 'Hingot war'. While, in 2017, a youth died due to a head injury from the 'hingot war'.