Girl dies, seven injured as tractor ploughs into Ganesh procession in Dharmavaram

A nine-year-old girl was killed and seven others were seriously injured when a tractor ploughed into a crowd during a Ganesh immersion procession in Dharmavaram, Sri Sathya Sai district, on Friday night.

The child was identified as Varshita. The accident took place near the Sivanagar Bramhamgari Temple in the town, police said.

According to a police official, the driver lost control of the tractor on a narrow stretch while devotees were preparing for the procession, and the vehicle ran into the gathering. The driver has been taken into custody and the tractor seized, and a case has been registered in connection with the incident.

The injured were moved to the local government hospital for treatment.

Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav directed health department officials to ensure quality medical care for the victims. Harish Babu, the Minister's constituency in-charge for Dharmavaram, went to the government hospital, where he spoke with doctors and met the family of the deceased.

The Minister also spoke to the family over the phone and expressed deep shock and grief over the death. He assured them that the government would stand with them and provide all possible support, and said the administration would bear the medical expenses of those injured.