Nuapada: At least six persons were injured in an accident during Maut ka Kuan (Well of Death) shunt show at Sinapali in the district on Monday evening.

The injured were rushed to the local community health centre. Later, four of the seriously injured were shifted to the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district. Sources said that the accident occurred around 8.30pm when a portion of the elevated platform made for spectators collapsed and six people who had come to see the show fell inside the 20ft well.

Shyam Sundar Behera, who had gone to watch the show, said the platform could not bear the weight of the spectators and a portion of it collapsed resulting in the accident. "There was chaos with all the viewers trying to come down from the elevated platform at the same time. For a moment it seemed it might lead to a stampede. Fortunately, that did not happen and everyone came down safely," he said.

Inspector in charge of Sinapali police station Jyoti Ranjan Gauda said the show had been going on illegally. He said: "We have found out that the show was going on illegally as it had not obtained any permission from anyone for it." Organizers of such a shunt show were arrested in Jeypore in Koraput district in May 2017 after a shunt biker was killed during the show.