Kolhapur : Three devotees died in two separate accidents while carrying a flambeau (jyot) from Tuljapur to their villages.
Sambhaji Prahlad Kadam (40) and Rajesh Appasaheb Kadam (38) were among a group of 17 people from Kouthali village in Atpadi taluka of Sangli district, who had travelled to Tuljapur to bring the jyot. The flame is kept burning at their village pandal throughout the nine days of Navaratra.
In the second case, 45-year-old Prakash Jagganath Dighe from Wadegaon in Sangola taluka of Solapur district was run over by an unknown vehicle. The accident took place around 4.30 pm on Sunday along Sangola-Mangalwedha road. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolhapur | Silver Rate in Kolhapur | Bank Holidays in Kolhapur | Public Holidays in Kolhapur Stay updated with the latest Kolhapur news.
They were rushed to hospital, but were declared brought dead. Other devotees returned to the village with their bodies. During Navaratra, devotees traditionally bring a flame from Shaktipeeths, such as Mahalaxmi in Kolhapur, where the goddess is the main deity. Other participants follow on motorbikes and in a carrier vehicle, cooking and eating along the roadside during the journey. Download the TOI App.
They leave days before the festival begins and carry the flame while running barefoot, exchanging it after covering a certain distance. On Sunday morning, while returning along Tuljapur-Dharashiv Road at Tuljainagar, a goods carrier vehicle hit the two-wheeler they were riding on.