Communal violence erupts in Karnataka's Nagamangala during Ganesha idol immersion

MANDYA: Nagamangala, a town situated 45 kilometers from Karnataka's Mandya district witnessed heightened tensions following a clash between two groups during a Ganesh procession around 8 pm on Wednesday.

The incident occurred when devotees from Badarikoppalu were carrying two Ganesh idols for immersion.

As the procession reached a place of worship, miscreants threw stones, leading to a heated altercation between the two groups. Police had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.

Following the incident, the groups engaged in chanting praises to their deities, further escalating the tension in the town.
Sources reported that a few individuals sustained injuries during the stone-pelting, and the police faced difficulties in controlling the crowds who were at odds with each other.

Youths from Badarikoppalu later halted the procession near the police station, demanding the arrest of the miscreants responsible for throwing stones at them.

Senior officers from both the police and revenue departments rushed to the scene to pacify the crowd and defuse the tension.

As a precautionary measure, Thasildar G. Adarsh, who arrived at the spot, issued ban orders under CrPC 144, restricting the gathering of four or more people in groups.

Additional police forces from Mandya, Bellur, and Bindiganavile were deployed to regain control of the situation. The police resorted to lobbing tear gas shells to control the mob.

The Ganesha idols have been temporarily placed near a temple, and devotees are demanding the arrest of those who caused disturbance to the procession. The situation remains tense even after two hours, as confirmed by sources.