Doddaballapur firecracker mishap: 15-year-old dies after 4-day fight for life

Bengaluru: A 15-year-old boy died on Tuesday night after battling for his life for four days following a firecracker accident during a Ganesha idol immersion procession near Doddaballapura Town.

The death toll has now risen to two.

The deceased, Yogesh, was among six persons injured. Another boy, Muni alias Dhanush (15), died on the day of the accident.

"Yogesh died at Victoria Hospital on Tuesday night," a police official told DH. "He was transferred there after initially being treated at Ramaiah Hospital."

On August 29, a multi-shot cracker box kept on a forklift carrying the Ganesha idol was lit suspectedly by a heated silencer, striking people in the crowd. Yogesh and Muni bore the brunt of the blast. 

The Doddaballapura Town police arrested Chandrakumar, Maruthi, Kishore and Manjunath, organisers of the procession, and booked them under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 125A (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

On August 30, Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner AB Basavaraj issued an order banning firecrackers during Ganesha processions and other political and religious events with large gatherings. The order followed a proposal by Bengaluru Rural SP CK Baba.