Surat: 6 arrested for pelting stones at Ganesh pandal
Six people have been apprehended by the police for allegedly throwing stones at a Ganesh pandal in the Sayedpura area of Surat, Gujarat. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Sunday, "In the Sayedpura area of Surat, six people pelted stone on the Ganesh Pandal." "All these 6 people were arrested and the police have also arrested the other 27 people who were involved in encouraging such an incident," he added.
Police response and subsequent arrests
Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot added that the disturbance began when some children threw stones at the pandal. "The police immediately took away those children from there," Gehlot said. He added that CCTV footage is being used to identify the real culprits involved in this incident. The police resorted to lathi charges and teargas while attempting to track down the perpetrators. The Surat commissioner announced that 1,000 personnel had been deployed to ensure law and order throughout the city.
Locals demand action, minister promises strict measures
Following the incident, thousands of locals gathered at a local police unit demanding action against those responsible. Around 2:30am Sanghavi and local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kanti Balar arrived at the scene to address the crowd and alleviate tensions. Sanghavi assured that all stone-pelters were arrested by sunrise and vowed to take strict action against those involved. He later posted on social media that "all 27 arrested...our teams are working around the clock to bring everyone involved to justice."
Kolkata Ganesh pandals protest against recent rape-murder
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, many committees have used their Ganesh pandals as a means to register protest and condemn the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar hospital on August 9. Many Ganesh pandals in Kolkata featured messages calling for justice for the victim and her family, with festivities maintaining a somber tone in view of the murder and subsequent agitation.
