Boipariguda (Koraput): Over 30 devotees were injured Tuesday in a sudden attack by a swarm of bees at the famous Veer Khambha Temple in Boipariguda in Koraput district.
The Veer Khambha Temple, located in the Kendupada forest area under the Boipariguda block, attracts hundreds of devotees from across the district and beyond twice a week—on Tuesdays and Fridays—for worship.
The attack occurred during Tuesday’s rituals when a swarm of bees suddenly targeted the devotees.
Panic ensued as worshippers ran helter-skelter through the forest to escape.
Ambulances were rushed to the spot, and the injured were initially taken to the Boipariguda Community Health Centre (CHC).
Twelve people, including the temple priest Krishna Nayak and a 15-year-old boy Aswini Pattnaik from Nabarangpur, sustained severe stings on their faces, hands, and backs.
Two critically injured—the priest and a teenager—were later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital at Jeypore for advanced care.
