Nagamangala town in Karnatakas Mandya district witnessed violent clashes on Wednesday during a Ganpati idol immersion procession. Tensions escalated when two groups clashed after stones were allegedly thrown at the procession, sparking unrest and leading to damage to local businesses.The incident occurred as residents of Badarikoppalu village were conducting a Ganpati Visarjan procession through Nagamangalas main road. According to reports, stones were hurled at the procession near a mosque, which triggered a confrontation between the two groups. As tensions rose, the situation spiraled into violence, with shops being vandalized and two vehicles set on fire.Karnataka: Stones pelted by muslim youth during the Ganesh Utsav procession in Nagamangala, Mandya.Reports of shops and vehicles burned and vandalised. Area tense. Police deployed. Locals and Police personal injuredHindus demonstrating pic.twitter.com/YPYfmrwMNZ— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 11, 2024Local police were deployed to manage the situation and restore order. However, despite their efforts, the situation worsened, prompting a lathicharge to disperse the crowds. Members of the Hindu community protested outside the police station, demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in the stone-throwing incident.Mallikarjun Baladandi, Superintendent of Police (SP) in Mandya, provided more details about the events. He explained that the procession had stalled near the mosque, which led to arguments between the two communities. “Police intervened to disperse the crowd, but due to the large gathering, we had to resort to lathicharge. After that, members of both communities gathered, leading to further clashes. Stones were thrown, and a few shops and bikes were set ablaze, Baladandi said.Videos circulating online show people from both groups engaging in stone-pelting during the heated exchange. In response to the violence, the police declared a high alert and imposed Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to prevent further escalation.SP Baladandi confirmed that the situation is now under control. We have sufficient police forces and fire engines deployed at the scene. No major injuries were reported, only minor ones, he assured.Section 144, prohibiting large gatherings, has also been enforced to maintain peace in the area.
