6 children in Telangana, 3 in Odisha drown during Ganesha idol immersion

At least six children drowned during a Ganesh idol immersion ceremony in Peddakanjerla village in Telangana's Sangareddy district on Wednesday, according to preliminary information.

The children reportedly entered Neredu Cheruvu lake as part of the immersion ritual and are suspected to have drowned. None of them knew how to swim.

The children were students of Shireesha Charitable Trust, a local educational institution. The circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately clear, and further details regarding the rescue efforts and the condition of those involved were awaited.

Authorities are yet to confirm the identities of the victims. The available preliminary information did not clearly establish the status of each of the names listed by some eyewitnesses.

A local account of the incident described confusion near the Vinayaka temple following the tragedy.SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN NEIGHBOURING ODISHA

The Telangana incident came amid reports of similar tragedies during Ganesh idol immersion in neighbouring Odisha.

In one incident, a Class 8 student drowned in a village pond under the jurisdiction of Digapahandi police station in Ganjam district while participating in a Ganesh idol immersion ceremony at around 10 am.

The boy, identified as Sitanshu Jena, was taken to Digapahandi hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

In another incident reported from Odisha's Ganjam, two 14-year-old boys drowned in the Ghodahad river while taking part in a Ganesh idol immersion ceremony.

Police identified the deceased as Adarsh Sahu and Preetam Sameli, both residents of the Hinjilicut municipality area.

According to locals, the two boys had gone to the river with others for the immersion when they accidentally slipped into deep water.

Local residents pulled them out in a critical condition and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

Police sent the bodies for post-mortem examination. A case has also been registered, and an investigation is underway.

Further official details from Telangana are awaited, while investigations into the Odisha deaths are in progress.- EndsWith PTI inputsPublished By: Vivek Published On: Sep 16, 2026 22:11 IST