Six students drown during Ganesh idol immersion in Sangareddy; CM, Governor, Minister condole

Six students drowned during the immersion of Lord Ganesha idols at Peddakanjarla village in Patancheru, Sangareddy district, prompting condolences from senior leaders and directions to tighten safety at immersion sites.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock at the deaths and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. He directed the district administration to extend all possible assistance and support to the bereaved families, and instructed officials to take adequate precautionary measures during Ganesh immersion activities so that such incidents do not recur.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla also expressed deep anguish and sorrow over the tragedy. He prayed for strength and courage for the families to bear what he described as an irreparable loss. The Governor appealed to devotees, organisers and the public to exercise utmost caution and strictly follow safety precautions during Ganesh processions and idol immersions. He urged people to avoid entering deep or unfamiliar water bodies and to keep children and young persons away from hazardous areas during immersion activities. He also called upon organisers and local authorities to ensure adequate safety arrangements, including proper supervision, lighting, barricading and the availability of emergency and rescue services at immersion points.

Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar expressed profound shock over the deaths, saying the incident had deeply disturbed him, and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their children. He spoke over the phone with the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police to gather details about the incident, and inquired about the rescue operations and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The Minister instructed officials to identify dangerous deep-water zones in immersion areas and take necessary safety measures to prevent public access to them. He further directed authorities to ensure that trained swimmers and rescue personnel are available at such locations. Appealing to parents, he asked them to keep a close watch on their children during Ganesh immersion events and to ensure that they do not venture near ponds, canals or other water bodies.