69 booked for temple fair in Haveri

HAVERI: As many as 69 people have been booked for organising a fair or jathre in honour of the God Brahmalingeshwara in Karjagi village in Haveri district, in flagrant violation of the prohibitory orders in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 infection. Although the fair was held on Thursday, videos of events held at the jathre, which is an historic annual affair in the village went viral on social media portals on Friday, compelling police to act against members of the committee of the Brahmalingeshwara temple.
Notwithstanding orders issued by Haveri deputy commissioner Krishna Bajpai, the committee members of the temple went ahead with the Kara Hunnime celebrations, which was attended by scores of devotees from nearby villages and towns.A procession wherein scores of people were seen jostling one another, and an event involving bullock carts were held during the jathre.
Haveri district additional superintendent of police Mallikarjun Baladandi said that Haveri rural police had booked cases against the members of the temple committee under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
The committee members of Brahmalingeshwar temple in Karjagi village of Haveri taluk have organized Kara Hunnime celebration on Thursday at the temple premises despite Deputy Commissioner Krishna Bajpai’s order.
Haveri DC Bajpai said that Karjagi residents had called on him at the office, seeking permission to hold the jathre last week. “Citing prohibitory orders that were in place, I refused permission. In fact, Haveri assistant commissioner and tahsildar for Haveri taluk held several meetings with the villagers requesting them not to hold the fair. But they have gone ahead nevertheless, and we will certainly take action against those responsible,” the DC said.
Despite repeated attempts, none of the members on the Brahmalingeshwara temple committee responded to TOI’s queries.
A historic event
The Karjagi Kara Hunnime is a historic event, which has been held without fail each year for more than a century. A three-day event, as many as seven bullock carts participate in the jathre, which also includes several other rituals. The organisers however decided to reduce the fair to a one-day event this year owing to the pandemic.