Kurnool police deploy 1,000 officers for Devaragattu Banni festival
Police say they have seized more than 300 sticks and installed cameras and lighting ahead of the festival scheduled for the night of October 21.
Kurnool police have deployed 1,000 personnel for the Banni festival scheduled for the night of October 21, 2026, at Devaragattu in India's Andhra Pradesh state, The Hindu reported. Officers say the security measures are intended to prevent clashes during an annual event in which participants compete to take an idol.
Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil said the deployment includes senior officers and is intended to prevent violence. The festival, also called karrala samaram, takes place in Devaragattu in Kurnool district's Holagunda mandal. According to The Hindu, people from three villages vie to seize the idol of Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy, the presiding deity; clashes have caused injuries and, at times, deaths.
Searches and surveillance around Devaragattu
Police seized more than 300 sticks during 40 cordon-and-search operations in villages around Devaragattu, The Hindu reported. Five check-posts and 10 police pickets have been established, alongside surveillance using 110 night-vision CCTV cameras and 10 drones. The security arrangements also include 700 LED lights.
Patil said bind-over proceedings had been initiated against more than 190 people, including individuals identified as having a history of involvement in conflicts or illicit liquor sales. He said police had taken measures to curb sales of illicit and country-made liquor and urged villagers to take part without violence.
Police and district officials reviewed the arrangements at meetings in the Kurnool Collectorate and Devaragattu, Patil said. Awareness meetings were also held in nearby Neraniki, Neraniki Thanda, Kothapeta, Arikera and Ellarthi, according to The Hindu.
Preparations before the October 21 festival
Deccan Chronicle reported on October 19 that police were preparing to deploy around 1,000 personnel for the festival and had seized around 300 sticks in 40 searches. It also described planned checkposts, pickets, cameras, lighting and drones. That earlier account described preparations; The Hindu's October 21 report attributed the deployment and current security arrangements to Patil.
The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India listing places the Devaragutta Dussehra and Banni festival on October 20–21 and describes its Bannu Utsavam as a midnight stick fight on Vijayadashami. The police measures reported on October 21 precede the scheduled nighttime event; its outcome was not yet known.
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Sources and context
- 1,000 police deployed for Devaragattu banni festival in Kurnool districtThe Hindu
- Tight Security For Devaragattu Banni FestivalDeccan Chronicle
- Devaraguttu DussehraIncredible India, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.