Daijiworld Media Network - Vellore

Vellore, Feb 18: A festive atmosphere turned chaotic in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district after a 60-foot-tall temple chariot toppled during a religious procession, leaving seven devotees injured.

The incident occurred during the annual Mayana Kollai festival, a traditional celebration in which devotees pull a towering, decorated chariot carrying the presiding deity towards the Palar River as part of ritual observances.

According to sources, the mishap took place around midnight when the massive wooden chariot was being manoeuvred onto a road stretch. A video circulating on social media shows the structure suddenly losing balance and crashing onto its side, triggering panic among devotees gathered near its base.

Seven persons were reportedly trapped beneath parts of the fallen structure and sustained injuries. They were promptly rescued by police personnel and members of the public present at the spot.

The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials are said to be assessing the cause of the accident, including whether uneven terrain or structural instability led to the chariot’s collapse.

Further details are awaited.