At least three persons were injured when a bunch of gas-filled balloons burst after they came in contact with flames from a sports torch at the inaugural function of the wrestling tournament organised as part of the Jatra Mahotsava at Suttur near here.
The seer of Suttur Mutt, Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami, who was also present on the occasion, had a lucky escape.
According to sources in the mutt, which organises the annual jatre, the incident took place when the wind blew the balloons towards the flames of a sports torch. The balloons were being held by a few persons standing behind the seer.
The burst of the balloons caused a commotion at the venue and injured a few.
The injured persons, including MLC Marithibbe Gowda, former zilla panchayat member K. Shivakumar, and an employee of Command Area Development Authority (CADA) Mamtha were treated at the clinic set up at the jathra. They were mostly mild burn injuries on the cheek and face, according to sources in the mutt. The seer, who was wearing a scarf around his neck and head, was immediately rushed to the guest house. He later issued a statement clarifying that there is no need for anxiety over his condition. It was not a major incident, he clarified.
Several people, including Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy inquired about the seer’s well-being.
Efforts to identify the gas used to fill the balloons came to naught, with the mutt authorities as well as the police officials not sure of the same.
While the authorities in the mutt claimed it could have been either nitrogen or helium, a police official claimed it could be hydrogen. However, a statement issued by the Information Department identified the gas as nitrogen.