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Clashes break out after eggs hurled at Ganesh idol procession in Maharashtra; police deployed
The incident occurred during the arrival procession of the Ganesh idol.
Heavy police security was deployed in Mumbai’s Mazgaon area after a clash broke out between two groups during a procession to bring a Ganesh idol on Sunday night.
The incident occurred during the arrival procession of the Ganesh idol, as per PTI. Ganesh festival organisers alleged that eggs were hurled at their procession during the idol’s arrival, following which tensions escalated in the area, ANI reported.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to prevent any further escalation and maintain law and order.
2 killed after massive Ganesh idol falls on them
The development comes a day after two people died and five others were injured when a massive Ganesh idol of ‘Bhuleshwaracha Raja’ fell during its arrival procession in Mumbai’s Bhuleshwar area on Saturday night, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), news agency ANI reported.
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The incident occurred near Kabutarkhana at Jay Ambe Chowk in Bhuleshwar. Following the incident, the BMC, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, 108 Emergency Ambulance Service and BMC ward staff were mobilised to the spot.
The Akhil Bhuleshwar Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal president Sanket Nevase, 33, and a resident of the locality, Brijesh Hemant Joshi, 30, were struck by the falling idol and died on the spot. The cause of the idol collapse is yet to be ascertained.
Abhi S, an office-bearer of the Bhuleshwar mandal, told HT they would meet to decide whether the mandal would celebrate Ganeshotsav this year and whether another idol would be brought in.
Kalpesh Shah, Brijesh Joshi’s neighbour and a resident of Shreepati Aradhana, said Brijesh worked as an accountant at an agency in Film City. Although Brijesh was not a member of the mandal, Shah said he participated every year in welcoming Bhuleshwarcha Raja.
“Every year, when the idol is brought into our lane, we perform an aarti. We have been doing this for nearly 60 years,” he said.
Minister calls incident ‘deeply distressing’
Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday said police were conducting an inquiry into the Bhuleshwar accident and said all details would emerge through the inquiry report.
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Calling the incident “deeply distressing and painful”, Shelar expressed condolences to the families of those who died and hoped for the speedy recovery of those injured, as per ANI.
Speaking to reporters, Shelar said, “The nature of this accident is deeply distressing and painful. We welcome the arrival of Ganpati Bappa with great joy and enthusiasm. However, in this unfortunate incident, two of our Ganesh devotees have lost their lives. We pay our respects and offer prayers to the Almighty, hoping for a speedy recovery for those who were injured... The police are conducting an inquiry into the matter.”
Shelar also said instructions had been issued to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation to ensure the safety of routes used for Ganesh idol arrival and immersion processions.
“All the details should be revealed in the inquiry report... Instructions had been issued to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation to ensure the safety of the routes used for the arrival and immersion processions,” he said.
