One person died and five others were injured after the lingo or the wooden pole of Bistket Jatra broke off at Bhaktapur on Thursday. 

The deceased has not yet been identified who was declared dead upon reaching the Bhaktapur hospital, DSP Krishna Prasain of Bhaktapur said. The injured are Suman Taja of Surya Binayak, Ram Krishna Duwal of Chyamasingh, Bal Krishna Lila of Bhaktapur municipality, Krishna Bhakta Duwal of Kamal Binayak and Surendra Kaiti of Nasamana. 

Thousands of people had gathered at Lyasinkhel of Bhaktapur municipality while the pole was being erected as per Tantrik rituals and it broke of all of a sudden this evening. Meanwhile, the new pole was erected at around 10 pm. 

Locals as per legend take it as an omen the breaking off of the sacred wooden pole. The pole including two spares ones are brought all the way from Sallaghari jungle of Chittapole in Bhaktapur. 

The erection of the wooden pole on the final day of the year coincides with the celebration of the Bisket jatra and is brought down on the first day of the New Year. The bisket jatra or festival observed for eight nights and nine days comes to an end on the 5th day of the New Year. RSS