What Happened in K'taka During the Ganesh Visarjan Tragedy?

Bengaluru, Sep 13 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound sorrow on Saturday over the devastating incident where a truck collided with the Ganesh Visarjan procession, resulting in the loss of nine lives.

"The incident in Hassan, Karnataka, is truly heart-wrenching. During this sorrowful time, my thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families. I wish for a swift recovery for those injured," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) shared via a post on the social media platform X.

"An ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be provided to the relatives of each deceased. Additionally, those injured will receive Rs 50,000," the statement added.

In response to the tragic accident occurring during the Ganesh Visarjan, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and District In-charge Minister Krishna Byre Gowda have instructed that priority be given to assist the families of both the deceased and the injured. Following this directive, the district administration is implementing all necessary actions throughout the night, as stated by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

The CMO further indicated, "Since the occurrence of this incident, teams of officials and medical personnel have remained in constant communication, and In-charge Minister Krishna Byre Gowda is actively monitoring the situation."

"Officials have maintained ongoing contact with the families of the victims and took immediate steps to ensure that post-mortem examinations were conducted overnight. The doctors completed the post-mortem and legal procedures promptly, handing over the bodies to family members without delay," it reported.

The district medical officers took charge of treating the injured and organized the necessary medical teams. All essential and advanced medical treatment facilities are being provided, according to the CMO.

The In-charge Minister has consistently been in touch with the District Commissioner and the District Medical Officer, visiting hospitals and directly engaging with the families of the deceased, as mentioned in the CMO's statement.

Reports indicate that during the Ganesh immersion at Mosale Hosahalli, the truck driver, due to excessive speed and negligent driving, smashed into the crowd participating in the procession.

Locals from Mosale Hosahalli, Hirehalli, and nearby villages joined the procession, alongside students from various college hostels in the area.

The driver, identified as Bhuvanesh, was hospitalized after being pulled from the vehicle and assaulted by the crowd.

The sequence of events began with the truck colliding with a bike, then hitting a divider, before ultimately running over the participants in the Ganesh Visarjan. Four individuals died on the spot, while five others later succumbed to their injuries in different hospitals. Of the nine fatalities, most were students, according to police reports.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah conveyed his condolences over this tragic occurrence and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh along with free medical treatment for the injured.