 "Karnataka's Mandya clash: Stones thrown during Ganpati procession, 52 held")
Tensions escalated in Nagamangala town, Mandya district, Karnataka, following violent clashes between two groups during a Ganpati procession on Wednesday. Several shops and businesses were set on fire, prompting the police to enforce restrictions in the area.
Following the incident, 52 people were arrested.
Initial news reports suggest that residents from Badri Koppalu village were conducting a Ganpati idol immersion procession. As the procession moved along the main road in Nagamangala, stones were allegedly thrown at them from a location near a mosque.
The situation quickly turned volatile, resulting in clashes between the groups. Some shops were vandalised, and two vehicles were set on fire.
The police tried to manage the situation as tensions rose. Agitated members of the Hindu community gathered at the police station, insisting on the prompt arrest of the individuals involved in the incident.
Mandya Superintendent of Police (SP) Mallikarjun Baladandi said that the procession took a longer time than expected near the mosque, delaying its movement forward.
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The report quoted Baladandi as saying that as there was a huge crowd, the police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse it. “Due to the large number of people, the police had to resort to lathicharge to control the situation. Following that, people protested in front of the police station. Members of the other community also gathered in large numbers and started throwing stones. They even torched a few bikes and shops on the roadside,” he said.
Several videos on social media showed the two groups hurling stones at each other. As a result, the police have raised the area's security level to high alert and enforced Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (an order issued during urgent situations of potential nuisance or imminent danger) to stabilise the situation.
Superintendent of Police Baladandi later confirmed that the situation is “fully under control”. He reassured that there were adequate police personnel on-site, and fire engines were also present. No severe injuries were reported due to the incident, he said.
[With agency inputs]