Around 20 people who were watching a Muharram procession in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district were flung off a roof after it partly collapsed. A video of the incident shows several spectators, who were standing on the roof of a building, falling into a crowd of people, after the parapet gives way. The sound of the drum beats at the Muharram procession is drowned out by people screaming.
The incident took place at Thandrapadu village at around 2 am on Tuesday and authorities said that no casualities were reported. However, around 20 people were injured in the incident. The police said that the bystanders were observing the 'Pedda Saragathi' ritual, where devotees walk on a hot bed of coal, when the incident took place.
Most of the village had gathered for the incident and several people had climbed on to the roof of a building to witness the happenings, and as the old structure could not hold their weight, the roof collapsed.
Watch the video below.
#WATCH Andhra Pradesh: Portion of a terrace collapsed during a Muharram procession, in B.thandrapadu village of Kurnool district, late last night. 20 people injured. They were later taken to a hospital for treatment. pic.twitter.com/k2tPpsouCC
— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2019
Locals who were present at the spot quickly helped those who had fallen to the ground. The police said that they swiftly stepped into action as soon as they were informed and made sure that no untoward incident took place. Those who were injured, were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Their condition is said to be stable.
Dubbed 'Peerla Panduga' in the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Muharram is observed by the Muslim community as they conduct processions.
Meanwhile, Muslims in Hyderabad carried out the annual Bibi-Ka-Alam procession in the city on Tuesday as part of Muharram. Bibi-Ka-Alam is an annual procession taken out by Shia Muslims during Muharram, where thousands participate, mourning the death of Imam Hussain and his followers, who was an important figure in Islam.