Shivamogga, Karnataka: At least eight people were drowned in Tungabhadra River in Karnataka, when a coracle in which they were sailing overturned and capsized on Wednesday, police has said. Four others are missing.
The group, from Hadonahalli village, had gone to immerse a Ganesha idol in the afternoon. They had got into a coracle to immerse the idol and it overturned.
"We launched a rescue and relief operation with the help of locals, but none of the victims survived and seven bodies were recovered till darkness set in," said Shivamogga police superintendent Abhinav Khare.
Search operations are still on for the missing men.
The district authority has banned swimming, sailing and immersion of Ganesha idols in the river to prevent any such accident.
Ganesha Chaturthi, which began on Monday, is a 10-day long festival across the state when the god of removal of obstacles is worshipped and his idol is immersed in the river, lake or pond on any evening during the festival period.
The group, from Hadonahalli village, had gone to immerse a Ganesha idol in the afternoon. They had got into a coracle to immerse the idol and it overturned.
"We launched a rescue and relief operation with the help of locals, but none of the victims survived and seven bodies were recovered till darkness set in," said Shivamogga police superintendent Abhinav Khare.
Search operations are still on for the missing men.
The district authority has banned swimming, sailing and immersion of Ganesha idols in the river to prevent any such accident.
Ganesha Chaturthi, which began on Monday, is a 10-day long festival across the state when the god of removal of obstacles is worshipped and his idol is immersed in the river, lake or pond on any evening during the festival period.