Petition filed at MP high court to ban Hingot war

Taking cognizance of lethal consequences of ‘Hingot war’, a traditional game, a petition was filed at Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday, requesting the court to put a ban on the practice.

Taking cognizance of lethal consequences of ‘Hingot war’, a traditional game, a petition was filed at Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday, requesting the court to put a ban on the practice.

Hingot war in progress on the outskirt of Gautampura town of Indore district. (Shankar Mourya/HT file photo)

Hingot war is an age-old game of Gautampura town of Indore district, where warring parties Kalanji from Gautampura and Turra from Runji village hurl burning fruits stuffed with gunpowder named Hingots at each other.

The hingots leave a trail of fire similar to that of a comet as it lands on the opponent’s territory.

Advocate Deepak Borasi, in his petition requested the court to either direct the administration to put a ban on the game played once a year (the next day of Diwali) or compensate those injured in the war.

Borasi said several participants and those in the audience get themselves injured every year at Gautampura, about 55 kilometres away from district headquarters.

“Besides, the district administration must keep records of participants and audience along with the number of people injured each year as it helps to record the danger associated with the tradition,” Borasi said, adding that he will request for an early hearing, although the court has fixed the next date of hearing on November 18.

In 2014, over 75 people suffered injuries due to the custom. Four were seriously injured and admitted to MY Hospital.

The Hingot war has been taking place with support from local political leaders, despite district administration’s pleas that villagers should stop holding this event because of the injuries it cause.