Subhechcha Ganguly 
The death toll in the tragic accident during a Ganesh immersion procession in Hassan district rose to nine after three more injured persons succumbed during treatment, police confirmed on Saturday. Around 17 others remain hospitalised.
The accident occurred on Friday evening near Mosale Hosahalli village on National Highway 373, when a speeding truck lost control, hitting a motorcycle and a barricade before plowing into the crowd of devotees. Inspector-General of Police (Southern Range) Boralingaiah said, “Nine people have died in this accident. Of them, six are locals, while three were students from Chikkamagaluru, Bellary, and Chitradurga.”
The truck driver, who was also injured, is under medical care, and legal proceedings have been initiated against him. Forensic teams are reconstructing the events based on eyewitness accounts to determine the exact cause of the mishap.
Most of the victims were young men in their teens and twenties, including engineering students who had gathered for the annual immersion near the Government Engineering College in Mosale Hosahalli. The deceased were identified as Praveen (Bellary), Rajesh (17, Halekote), Eeshwar (17, Koppalu), Gokul (17, Muttigehiralli), Kumar (25, Kabbinahalli), Praveen (25, Kabbinahalli), Mithun (23, Chitradurga), Suresh (19, Chikkamagaluru), and Prabhakar (55, Bantarahalli).
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed grief and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased, along with full medical support for the injured. “I am deeply saddened to hear the news that a lorry ran over people taking part in a Ganesh immersion procession in Hassan, killing many and injuring more than 20 others,” he posted on X.
The Prime Minister’s Office also announced an ex gratia of Rs2 lakh for the kin of each victim.
