Nine children drown during Ganesha idol immersion in Telangana, Odisha

Nine children drowned in separate incidents linked to Ganesha idol immersion in Telangana and Odisha, turning festival celebrations into tragedy on Wednesday. Six children died after entering Neredu Cheruvu lake in Telangana’s Sangareddy district, while three children lost their lives in two separate incidents in Odisha’s Ganjam district. The deaths occurred as families and local communities carried out immersion rituals during the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

Six drown in Telangana

The Telangana tragedy occurred at Neredu Cheruvu in Sangareddy district, where a group of children had gone to the lake for Ganesha idol immersion. The children reportedly entered the water as part of the ritual and are believed to have moved into a deeper section of the lake. None of them knew how to swim. When they failed to return, an alarm was raised and efforts were launched to locate them. Six children were eventually found dead, leaving their families and the local community in shock.

Three die in Odisha

Three more children drowned in two separate incidents in Odisha’s Ganjam district during Ganesha idol immersion activities. In one incident, two children drowned after entering a water body for the immersion, while another child died in a separate episode elsewhere in the district. Local residents and authorities carried out rescue and recovery operations following the incidents.

Festivities turn tragic

The deaths came during the early phase of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, when many families and community groups immerse idols after keeping them for one-and-a-half or three days rather than waiting until the concluding Anant Chaturdashi immersion. Large numbers of devotees are expected to participate in immersion ceremonies over the coming days.

The incidents have once again highlighted the risks associated with entering lakes, ponds and other water bodies during religious immersions, particularly for children and people who cannot swim. Authorities routinely advise devotees to use designated immersion points and avoid venturing into deep water during such ceremonies.