2 die during Ganesha idol immersion, one victim’s brother suffers cardiac arrest

HASSAN: Three persons died after they slipped and fell into a lake during immersion of a Lord Ganesha idol at Vadagarahalli in Hassan on Thursday night. The deceased were identified as Nagaraj (30) an auto driver, and Praveen (28) , an engineer with a private company in Bengaluru. The latter had come to his native village to attend the idol immersion programme.

Nagaraj

In a shocking turn of events, Nagaraj’s elder brother Madhu (37) died after he suffered a cardiac arrest on hearing about the former’s death. The family and the entire village was plunged in grief over the lossof two lives.

Nagaraj had got engaged recently and the marriage ceremony was to be conducted next week. The entire family was in a celebratory mood, but unfortunately, tragedy struck.

Praveen

Madhu, a specially abled person, had a small business at Jalahalli in Bengaluru. He had built a house recently at the village and conducted the house-warming ceremony. On Thursday afternoon, he had even organised a puja at the Kundur Mutt and organised lunch.

When he was told about his brother’s death, he rushed to the government hospital in Hassan. On seeing his brother’s body, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died. Madhu is is the father of a young girl child.

Madhu.

Praveen and Nagaraj had participated in Ganesha idol immersion on Thursday afternoon. After the celebrations ended, both went near lake in the evening, which was brimming after many years. Both did not know swimming, but got into the water and drowned.

When the villagers realised that the two were missing, they started looking for them. A team experts fished out the bodies of the two from the lake. Police visited the spot and the bodies were handed over to the families after post-mortem procedure.