In a shocking incident on Thursday, hundreds of devotees gathered in Kalburgi district to witness the Siddhalingeswara chariot festival in Ravoor village. This is in defiance of the lockdown orders.

"This is a district where 3 people have died from Covid-19, including the country's first fatality," says journalist Shiv Aroor. As per the police, the Siddalingesware Trust management had "misled" the local administration and organized the chariot-pulling event secretly.

This has happened on a day when Karnataka's total cases touched 315 on the back of more than 30 positive cases in a single day. Most of the new cases have link to the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka's Corona hotspot Kalaburagi, crowds gather as the Siddhalingeswara chariot festival is conducted despite lockdown orders and a ban on rituals of any kind. This is a district where 3 people have died from #Covid19, including the country's first fatality. pic.twitter.com/An3gREiHZd

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) April 16, 2020