Kannada actor Yash, who visited the village in Karnataka’s Gadag district where three men tragically lost their lives while setting up a hoarding to celebrate his birthday, has expressed his apprehension about celebrating future birthdays.

Hanumanth Harijan (24), Murali Naduvinamani (20), and Naveen Gaaji (20) were electrocuted, while three others sustained injuries in the incident at Suranagi in Laxmeshwar taluk.

Addressing the media after meeting the victims’ families, Yash stated on Monday, “I urge my fans to refrain from erecting banners. If you wish to show affection towards me, strive to make something meaningful out of your lives. While traveling here, I witnessed people chasing my car on their bikes. I implore you to cease such actions. Every time such incidents occur, it instills fear in me. I'm developing an aversion towards celebrating my own birthday. It's not about financial support; we can't bring back the lives lost. I don't want anyone to jeopardize their lives to extend blessings to me.”

The KGF star had announced on January 4, via an X (formerly Twitter) post, that he wouldn't be meeting his fans on January 8, his birthday.

“I opted not to celebrate my birthday with fans due to the escalating COVID cases. I didn't want people to gather and risk falling ill,” he explained.

Superintendent of Police Babasaheb Nemagouda disclosed that the tragedy occurred when the hoarding's metal frame made contact with a wire from the Hubli Electricity Supply Company. A case has been registered at the Lakshmeshwar police station.

Nagaraj Poojar, a 35-year-old villager, shared the incident with indianexpress.com, stating, “Murali was an ardent Yash fan even before the release of KGF, with a tattoo of Yash on his body. They had been celebrating Yash's birthday for five or six years, distributing sweets and erecting small banners in the village. This year, they planned a grand celebration with a 25-ft banner. Tragically, the incident has left the village in shock.”

Poojar, who was at home during the incident, added, “We rushed them to the hospital, but Murali, Hanumanth, and Naveen had already succumbed. They were the main earners for their families, working as daily-wage laborers.”

The state government announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured individuals on Monday.