Minister Krishna Byre Gowda assured financial aid and condolences to families affected by the tragic Ganesh immersion truck accident in Hassan.

Hassan

District In-Charge Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that while it is impossible to fully compensate the families of those who lost their lives, the government has provided financial aid to help them during this tragic time.

Visiting the accident site in Mosalehosalli village, he told reporters, This is a deeply sad incident. Nine people have died so far. I have expressed the government’s condolences to the families. Their pain is unimaginable. The Chief Minister has directed that Rs 5 lakh be given to each family, and I am providing that relief. Some families have requested extra support, and I will discuss this with the CM.

On the question of responsibility, he said, It is difficult to assign fault. More safety measures might lead to complaints, while fewer measures could be seen as negligence. Therefore, I am not commenting on fault. The truck driver, a local resident, has been arrested and is receiving treatment. I have inspected the site and met families to offer condolences and check on the injured. The police have been instructed to investigate the accident and the driver’s role.

He added that the district administration acted quickly, ensuring medical care for the injured and completing post-mortems overnight so families could receive the bodies promptly. Authorities have been instructed to find out what happened, how it happened, and why, he said.

District In-Charge Minister Krishna Byre Gowda visited the site of the truck accident during the Ganesh immersion procession in MosaleHosalli, where locals protested and voiced dissatisfaction over the government’s compensation. Residents questioned, “for airplane accidents, Rs 1 crore is given, and for stadium deaths Rs 50 lakh, but what about poor children? Only Rs 5 lakh has been announced. These were children from low-income families and deserve higher support. We demand Rs 25 lakh. Some also criticized, when deaths happen in Kerala, Karnataka provides compensation, but for our farmers’ children, only Rs 5 lakh is offered. If that’s the case, you can keep it.”