BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Rural district administration on Saturday banned the use of firecrackers during Ganesha idol immersions, religious events, and political programmes, a day after a Class 10 student died and nine others were injured in an explosion during a procession.
The victim, identified as 15-year-old Muni alias Dhanush, succumbed to severe injuries on Friday evening in Mathur village under Doddaballapura town police station limits. Nine others — including police constable Zakir Hussain, forklift driver Muniraju, and residents Yogesh, Nagaraju, Chethan, Ganesh, Lokesh, Maniyakka, and Dhananjay — were injured. Yogesh remains in critical condition with burn injuries, while others sustained minor injuries.
According to police, the idol was mounted on a forklift and was heading for immersion when a plastic bag of firecrackers kept behind the driver’s seat exploded around 5.45 pm. Investigators suspect overheating from the engine may have triggered the blast, as the crackers were placed close to it.
A case has been registered against the organisers under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 125A (endangering life or safety), and other provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said the organisers are being questioned, and further investigation is under way.
In the wake of the incident, Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner A.B. Basavaraja issued prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The order cited the installation of nearly 1,800 Ganesha idols across the district and said the ban was essential to prevent similar tragedies.
OVER 1L GANESHA IDOLS IMMERSED IN BBMP ZONES
BENGALURU: A total of 1.14 lakh Ganesha idols were immersed within Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits on Friday. The immersion was carried out across designated permanent and temporary immersion tanks, artificial ponds (kalyanis), and mobile tankers arranged by the civic body.
According to BBMP data, the highest number of immersions took place in South Zone, where 52,181 idols were immersed, followed by East Zone with 36,725 idols. The West Zone reported 12,874 immersions and Bommanahalli 1,330 idols.
In Dasarahalli, 503 idols were immersed, Mahadevapura (3,299), Rajarajeshwari Nagara (4,105) and Yelahanka (3,385). Of the total idols, 1,04,286 were immersed in permanent or temporary locations, while 11,154 idols were immersed using mobile tankers.