Nine persons were killed and 22 injured on Friday when a speeding truck rammed into a procession heading to immerse an idol of Hindu deity Ganesha, on the Hassan-Holenarasipura highway in Karnataka’s Hassan district, The News Minute reported.

The truck reportedly lost control while trying to avoid a two-wheeler, crossed the road divider and crashed into the crowd participating in the procession, according to The Indian Express.

The incident took place in the Mosale Hosahalli village.

Five persons, identified as students of a local engineering college, died on the spot. Four others succumbed to injuries at a nearby hospital, the newspaper reported.

Among the nine persons who died, eight were between the age of 17 and 25. One was a 55-year-old man.

Seven of those killed were from Hassan district and one each from Ballari and Chitradurga, the police said.

The post-mortems completed and the bodies have been handed to the families, officials said.

Of the 22 persons who were injured, 19 were admitted to the Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences, where two remain in the intensive care unit and one is undergoing surgery for a rib fracture. The remaining are in stable condition.

Two more injured persons are being treated in the intensive care unit at Mangala Hospital and are also reported to be in stable condition, The News Minute reported.

The driver of the truck, Bhuvan, tried to flee but was caught and assaulted by bystanders, The News Minute reported. He is now in hospital under police watch.

He has been booked on charges of causing death by negligence.

An eyewitness told local television channels that one side of the road had been blocked for the procession, and traffic was allowed only on the other, The Indian Express reported.

Hassan Deputy Commissioner KS Lathakumari, who visited the accident site, was confronted by angry residents who had gathered in large numbers on Friday night, the newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, describing it “heart-rending”, and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of those who died and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also expressed his condolences and announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to families who lost a member. He added that the state government would bear the cost of treatment for the injured.

“I pray that the souls of the deceased find peace and that the injured recover as quickly as possible,” he said in a social media post.

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda said the tragedy has “caused immense pain to the mind”. His son, Union minister HD Kumaraswamy urged the government to ensure the “best free treatment” for those injured.

Former Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader BS Yediyurappa said “the intensity of this accident has shaken us”.

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