Hassan Ganesha procession accident toll rises to 10; PM, Karnataka CM condole victims

Doctors attend to injured people admitted at a hospital after a truck lost control and allegedly rammed into devotees during a Ganesh idol immersion, in Karnataka`s Hassan district, on Friday. PIC/PTI

The toll in the Ganesha procession accident in Hassan district has gone up to 10 on Saturday, police sources said.

Tragedy struck on Friday night at Mosale Hosahalli village in the district when a group of youths were taking out a Ganesha procession.

According to police, the driver lost control of the vehicle and ploughed it into the crowd, killing four people instantaneously, while four others died in the hospital on Friday night.

The toll went up to 10 on Saturday as two more injured succumbed to their injuries.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.

Condoling the deaths, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh from Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, he said.

The opposition BJP demanded that the compensation given by the state government be enhanced somewhere between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh, saying Rs 5 lakh was way too less.

JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda announced a compensation of Rs one lakh to the families of those killed in a road accident at a village in Hassan district.

Deve Gowda further announced that Rs 25,000 would be given as compensation to those who were seriously injured and Rs 20,000 to those with minor injuries.

He urged the state government to enhance the compensation to Rs 10 lakh to next to the kin of the deceased.

The former PM said he would write to the Chief Minister in this regard.

Reacting to the opposition's demand, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government gives an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each deceased in Hassan accident to express condolence, not in a bid to equate the value of human life with the compensation.

"The government giving compensation to the families of the deceased does not mean it is equal to the value of life. The compensation is given to express condolence to the bereaved families," Siddaramaiah told reporters at Mysuru airport.

Referring to Friday's tragic accident in Hassan, he said, "We have formulated the Road Safety Act. If an accident happens due to the mistake of truck drivers, how can the government be held accountable? I offer my respect to those killed in the accident."

Siddaramaiah also said that he has asked district in-charge minister Krishna Byre Gowda to visit the families of the victims and announce the ex gratia.

"He went there and consoled the families," Siddaramaiah said.

Rejecting BJP's demand to enhance the compensation to Rs 10 lakh, Siddaramaiah asked, "How much did they give during their tenure in government? If they had given then, we too would have considered it."

"We give compensation keeping in mind the financial condition of the economically weaker sections. It must be given equally in all such cases," he added.

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