Tragic Incident at Hornbill Festival: UK Visitor Passes Away in Nagaland
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Kohima, Dec 8 (NationPress) A 67-year-old visitor from the U.K., attending the Hornbill Festival in the Naga heritage village of Kisama, suffered a fatal heart attack, according to police reports on Sunday.
The Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Kohima, Sheta Lohe, confirmed that Nigel Richard from Bradford, U.K., passed away at a private hospital in Kohima on Saturday night.
As per the police officer, Richard experienced intense chest pain on Saturday evening while waiting for a bus at the Kisama Heritage Village, the main location of the 10-day-long Hornbill Festival.
He received immediate assistance at a health camp established at the festival site, where he was given first aid before being transported to a private hospital in Kohima, located 12 km from Kisama.
Sadly, the tourist did not survive later that night, prompting a post-mortem examination, as stated by the police officer.
The autopsy report confirmed that Richard succumbed to a severe heart attack.
A brief farewell service was held at the North Police Station in Kohima on Sunday.
Officials from Nagaland’s Tourism and Art and Culture department, which organized the Hornbill Festival, ensured arrangements were in place to return the body to his home.
As of the 8th day of the festival on Sunday, over 130,000 attendees, including 2,100 foreigners and approximately 31,000 tourists from various Indian states, have participated.
This year's silver jubilee edition of the Hornbill Festival features Japan, U.S., U.K. (Wales), Peru, and Bulgaria as country partners, with Sikkim and Telangana serving as partner states.
The festival showcases daily performances from numerous cultural troupes representing all eight northeastern states, along with various attractions such as local product sales, handloom and handicrafts, artworks, horticulture, traditional stone pulling ceremonies, film festivals, photo fests, heritage walks, kids’ carnivals, International Hornbill Naga Wrestling, and indigenous games and sports.
Additional highlights of this annual celebration, which commenced on December 1, include local cuisine, a food festival, competitions for consuming Naga King chili and pineapple, a World War-II rally, adventure activities, mountain biking, Dzukou Valley Day Hikes, and both a Bamboo Carnival and Night Carnival.
