Stones pelted at Ganesh idol procession, mosque in Bhatkal, say police
Situation in Bhatkal area in Uttara Kannada district remained tense following reports of stone pelting on a Lord Ganesh idol immersion procession as well as a mosque and madrasa late on Wednesday, police said, adding that both sides filed counter complaints with the police after the incident.
Tension prevailed in the Bhatkal region of Uttara Kannada district following a report of stone pelting on a Lord Ganesh idol procession, as well as on a mosque and madrasa, according to police sources. The incident occurred around 9.15 pm and 9.30 pm on Gulmi Railway Station Road when a procession organized by the Taland Public Ganeshotsava Committee passed through the area. The Ismail Sunni Jamiya Mosque and Tajus-Sunna Arabic Madrasa, situated on the ground floor of the same building, were allegedly targeted.
A complaint filed at the Bhatkal Town Police Station by Abdul Alim, the secretary of the mosque, stated that two window panes of the madrasa were damaged. In response, members of the Muslim community rushed to the police station, seeking the arrest of those responsible. To prevent the gathering from turning violent, senior officials arrived at the station and urged the attendees to remain calm.
Uttara Kannada SP Deepan MN informed that counter complaints had already been registered and that police personnel had already reached the spot. He emphasized that those responsible for any wrongdoing would face immediate action. Raju, the president of the Taland Public Ganeshotsava Committee, filed a separate complaint alleging that unidentified individuals standing beside the road threw stones towards the Lord Ganesh procession as it neared the mosque.
Ganapati Naik, a resident and community representative who participated in the procession, recounted that the situation escalated near the mosque after stones allegedly hit the procession. Some youths became agitated and desired to protest, but they were calmed down and continued with the procession to the immersion site. The police halted the group upon their return and informed them of the alleged stones thrown at the mosque.
The procession was then rerouted to avert any confrontation. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage and other evidence related to the procession, and additional police personnel have been deployed to maintain order. Officials stated that the situation had been brought under control, and normalcy had returned in the area.
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