Communal Clashes During Ganpati Procession in Karnataka’s Mandya; 52 Detained

Bengaluru: Communal clashes erupted in Karnataka’s Mandya district during a Ganpati procession on Wednesday. The Karnataka Police on Thursday detained 52 people in connection to the communal violence.

The communal clashes occurred in Mandya district’s Badarikoppalu village. It is alleged that violence sparked off, when some persons pelted stones, allegedly from a mosque, at a Ganpati procession.

The group put the Ganesh idol in front of the police station and staged a protest. They also torched some shops and burnt tyres.

Following the detention of the people by the police, their relatives protested in front of a local police station, demanding their release.

The police have declared a high alert in the area and imposed Section 163 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (order issued in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) to bring the situation under control.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwar said, “The situation is under control and peaceful. Police have taken control of it. 52 people have been detained, and somebody pelted stones during the Ganesh procession. Everything is under control now.”

In recent past, six minors were arrested in Gujarat’s Surat after they allegedly pelted stones at a Ganesh pandal. It led to communal clashes in the area.