Cuttack, Nov 14: Cuttack Mayor Subash Singh has strongly reacted to the chaos witnessed on Thursday evening at the Bali Yatra grounds, describing the incident as “unfortunate” and unprecedented.

He questioned who would have been held accountable had the situation resulted in loss of life.

According to the Mayor, the emergence of “VIP culture” at the festival venue was largely responsible for the trouble. He criticised the administration for imposing multiple restrictions on the entry and movement of the general public while prioritising special privileges for VIPs.

Calling the incident a “disgraceful chapter” in the history of the festival, Mayor Singh said that voices would be raised against such practices to ensure Bali Yatra remains a celebration for ordinary people.