Karnataka Ganesha procession accident heart-rending: Narendra Modi

Nine persons were killed and over 20 injured when a truck ploughed into a procession in Hassan's Mosale Hosahalli village

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the deaths of several people during a Ganesha immersion procession in Karnataka's Hassan district, and said it was a heart-rending tragedy.

Nine persons were killed, and over 20 injured when a truck ploughed into a Ganesha immersion procession in Mosale Hosahalli on Friday night.

Among the injured, at least eight individuals are currently in critical condition.

Modi said on X, "The mishap in Hassan, Karnataka, is heart-rending. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those who have been injured recover at the earliest."

He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 each, he added.