Eight Injured as Dilapidated Footbridge Collapses During Ritual Procession

By Editor

Posted on April 22, 2026

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Eight Injured as Dilapidated Footbridge Collapses During Ritual Procession

Moodubidire: A religious procession turned into a disaster on Wednesday morning, April 22, at Bavada Bailu in Puchamogaru, under the Hosabettu Gram Panchayat limits. The incident occurred when a footbridge (locally known as a kalusanka) suddenly collapsed while devotees were carrying the sacred ‘Bhandara’ (divine paraphernalia) of the Daiva. The wooden beam of the bridge snapped, causing the palanquin bearers to plunge nearly ten feet into a stream below. Eight people sustained injuries in the mishap, and while initial treatment was provided locally, four of them were shifted to a hospital in Mangaluru by evening for advanced care.

The sacred procession was moving from the Bavadaguttu Sanadagudde Padihodibettu Temple towards the residence of Ammi Kotian in Takode Barke for a scheduled ‘Dharma Nema’ ritual. Witnesses stated that the musicians, including the horn blowers and band set players, had luckily crossed the bridge just moments before it gave way. Among the injured, Harish suffered fractures in both his legs, while Sunil Shetty Maroor, the ‘Mukkaldhi’ (ritual priest/assistant) of the deity, sustained severe injuries. Other injured persons, including Rajesh, Yashodhar, Ashok, Dinesh, and others, were treated for minor wounds at a private hospital in Moodubidire.

Immediately after the collapse, local residents rushed to the spot to rescue those trapped in the stream and coordinated their transport to medical facilities. According to local reports, the footbridge was approximately 50 years old and had become extremely dilapidated over the decades. The weakened state of the structure is cited as the primary reason for the collapse. The incident caused a wave of shock in the community, as the traditional ritual was interrupted by the structural failure of the long-neglected bridge.