Tension prevailed in Maddur town of Mandya district in Karnataka on Monday, September 8, over the alleged stone-pelting incident during the Ganesh immersion procession the previous night.
At least eight persons are reported to be injured in the incident, and over 20 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the town until September 9 to contain the violence.
Despite this, however, large numbers of people, mostly men, began gathering in front of the Taluk Office in Maddur at 10 am, demanding action.
Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd, and several people were reportedly injured.
It was only after a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner Kumar and the Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi that the crowd dispersed around 3pm. JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy and former BJP MP Pratap Simha also joined the protests and were reportedly present during the meeting with officials.
According to The Hindu, violence began on Sunday evening when the procession passed near a mosque in Ram Rahim Nagar. Stones were allegedly pelted at the persons participating in the procession, which triggered a retaliation. However, the police personnel accompanying the procession prevented any further escalation between the two communities and dispersed them, the report said.
But after the idol’s immersion, groups began gathering in the town, demanding justice.
Mandya district Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi said that a total of 21 persons were taken into custody. Another five-six miscreants involved in the incident have been identified and efforts were on to arrest them, he said.
The police have deployed six platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) to contain any further escalation.
Meanwhile, the BJP has demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the incident.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka demanded an apology from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must apologise to the people of the state for the stone-pelting incident that took place during the Ganesh Visarjan procession. Why are only Hindus targeted for attacks and FIRs filed?”
“Hundreds of conditions are imposed for the celebration of the Ganesh festival. Hindus cannot freely celebrate the Ganesh festival or take processions. Last year, the Hanuman Dhwaj was removed in Nagamangala town of Mandya district. Don’t you have any shame? In the same Nagamangala, the Ganesh idol was seized and kept in a police vehicle,” Ashoka alleged.
Responding to the incident, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the situation in Maddur is under control.
“Those who created the ruckus have been arrested, and the situation is under control. The Ganesh immersion programme continued afterwards. There are minor incidents reported across the state, such as a stabbing when someone tried to bring a flag, and in another case, children aged three to four spat during the procession. But everything is under control.”
“We are making appeals and deploying adequate police forces. The community should also cooperate. Lakhs of Ganesh idols are immersed across the state every year without any untoward incidents. We thought this year the situation was being handled well, but this incident of violence has been reported from Maddur town,” the Home Minister said.
With IANS inputs