Gujarat: 32 detained after stones allegedly thrown at makeshift Ganesh Chaturthi platform in Surat

The Gujarat Police on Monday detained 32 persons, including several minors, for allegedly throwing stones at a makeshift platform erected on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, PTI reported.

A group of minors allegedly threw stones at the platform in Surat’s Sayedpura area in the early hours of Monday. About 300 local residents then held a protest in front of the local police station and sought action against the accused persons.

During the protest, two groups threw stones at each other, with the violence leading to injuries to several police personnel and damage to an official vehicle, Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut said, according to PTI.

State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that six persons were taken into custody for allegedly throwing stones at the platform, and added that the police also detained 27 persons who allegedly encouraged them, ANI reported.

The police have registered two cases in connection with the violence.

Heavy security in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam

Heavy security was also deployed in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district, where tensions arose after stones were thrown at a procession on Saturday during Ganesh Chaturthi, police said, The Indian Express reported.

The stones were thrown in the Mochipura area of the city on Saturday night, when a group was carrying an idol to be installed as part of the festivities. Superintendent of Police Rahul Kumar Lodha said that one individual was said to have been injured.

“An FIR [first information report] was registered against unknown persons in connection with this case,” he added.

Later on Saturday night, nearly 500 persons gathered at the Station Road police station and demanded action against the person who threw the stone, an unidentified police officer said.

When the police went to the site of the incident to investigate, the crowd followed and someone threw a stone again, the officer said. Following this, the crowd started throwing stones, during which the glass of a police vehicle also broke. The police had to use force to force the crowd to disperse.