Teen killed, 6 injured as firecrackers explode during Ganesha idol immersion in Bengaluru

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An explosion of firecrackers kept on a moving vehicle led to the death of a Class 10 student and caused injuries to six people, among them a police constable, in Doddaballapur town on the outskirts of Bengaluru during a Ganesha idol immersion procession on Friday evening, Hindustan Times reported.

The victim was identified as 15-year-old S Tanush Rao from Muttur in Doddaballapur. He had been sitting close to a box of firecrackers kept behind the driver’s seat of a forklift that was carrying the idol. Around 6 pm, as the procession moved toward a nearby lake, the firecrackers suddenly went off.

Police explained that the forklift, driven by 27-year-old Muniraju, had been on the road for more than two hours. The engine’s continuous heat is believed to have triggered the firecrackers. Tanush suffered severe burns and, despite being rushed to the hospital, he did not survive.

The blast also injured others who were either walking alongside the vehicle or dancing near it. Those hurt include Ganesh (16), Yogesh (15), Nagaraju (35), Chetan (age not disclosed), police constable Zakir Hussain, and the driver Muniraju himself, who sustained serious injuries.

According to the officials, the growing practice of using forklifts in religious processions have raised concerns. Forklifts are industrial machines designed for lifting heavy goods in controlled places like warehouses, not for public celebrations. However, many are being modified to carry massive idols, and at times even used for dangerous stunts to impress crowds.

The police have begun a detailed investigation into the accident.