Karnataka man critically injured after falling into fire pit during Muharram ritual

A man sustained critical burn injuries after falling into a fire pit during Muharram rituals in Karnataka’s Raichur district, on Sunday night.

The victim, identified as Hanumanth, was participating in the Alayi ritual, a traditional part of Muharram observances, when he reportedly slipped and fell into the flames in Yeragunti village of Lingsugur taluk.

Villagers rushed to his aid but struggled to pull him out due to the intensity of the fire.

Hanumanth was first taken to Lingsugur Taluk Hospital and later shifted to RIMS Hospital in Raichur, where he remained in a critical condition. The incident shocked the local community, which had gathered for the annual religious event.

Mounesh, a relative of Hanumanth, said, “He accidentally slipped and fell into the Alayi fire pit while walking nearby. The fire was too intense, and we couldn’t rescue him immediately. Later, the villagers managed to pull him out. He was first taken to the Lingsugur Taluk Hospital and then shifted to RIMS.”

In a similar incident from April, in Tamil Nadu, a 56-year-old devotee died after falling into an ember pit during a fire-walking ritual at the annual Subbaiya Temple festival in Kuyavankudi, Ramanathapuram district. The ritual, known as Theemidhi Thiruvizha, involves devotees walking barefoot across burning embers to fulfil vows.

The victim, Kesavan from Valantharavai village, tripped and fell face-first onto the embers while running across the pit. Though the rescue team pulled him out within seconds, he suffered severe burns and died at the Ramanathapuram District Government Hospital.

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