Heavy police security was deployed in Mumbai’s Mazgaon area after a clash broke out between two groups during a procession to bring a Ganesh idol on Sunday night.
Minister calls incident ‘deeply distressing’
Ganesh festival organisers alleged that eggs were hurled at their procession during the idol’s arrival, following which tensions escalated in the area, ANI reported. However, in this unfortunate incident, two of our Ganesh devotees have lost their lives. The incident occurred during the arrival procession of the Ganesh idol, as per PTI. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to prevent any further escalation and maintain law and order. The incident occurred near Kabutarkhana at Jay Ambe Chowk in Bhuleshwar. The cause of the idol collapse is yet to be ascertained. We welcome the arrival of Ganpati Bappa with great joy and enthusiasm. We pay our respects and offer prayers to the Almighty, hoping for a speedy recovery for those who were injured… The police are conducting an inquiry into the matter.”
Following the incident, the BMC, Mumbai Fire Brigade, Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, 108 Emergency Ambulance Service and BMC ward staff were mobilised to the spot. The Akhil Bhuleshwar Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal president Sanket Nevase, 33, and a resident of the locality, Brijesh Hemant Joshi, 30, were struck by the falling idol and died on the spot.
Speaking to reporters, Shelar said, “The nature of this accident is deeply distressing and painful. Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday said police were conducting an inquiry into the Bhuleshwar accident and said all details would emerge through the inquiry report.
