Ravana’s effigy triggers panic

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 19

The Dasehra celebrations triggered panic among scores of residents at the Dasehra ground in Sector 46 when the effigy of Ravana suddenly “blasted”.

The residents had come to watch the 87-foot-tall effigy of Ravana. The traffic also went haywire as people rushed out of the venue.

Bhupinder Singh Bhandari, a resident of Sector 30, who had gone there to witness the Dasehra celebrations, said, “All three effigies went up in flames abruptly. Some onlookers, who were standing, were so petrified with the ‘blast-like sound’ that they fell down. Several children started crying. The exit gate was congested and posed problems for those rushing out of the venue.”

The organisers attributed it to a technical glitch. Jatinder Bhatia, president of Shri Sanatan Dharam Dasehra Committee, Sector 46, said, “There was a technical glitch. There were five trigger points — eye, nose, navel, ears and hands — from where Ravana’s effigy was supposed to be set ablaze. Workers tried to press the remote from the stage. However, when it did not work, the effigy was consigned to the flames manually. There was some loose connection in the underground wiring.” UT DGP Sanjay Beniwal was the chief guest at the Dasehra Ground in Sector 46. 

Meanwhile, a large number of onlookers thronged the venues for the Dasehra celebrations in the city. Dasehra was celebrated with fervour in Sector 20, 27 and 28, and at Panjab University.