Mumbai: Ganeshotsav Mandals Accuse Police of Lathicharge During Arrival Procession, Coordination Committee Seeks Commissioner’s Intervention

Mumbai, 28th August 2023: With the eagerly awaited Ganeshotsav festival less than a month away, preparations are in full swing among the Ganeshotsav mandals in Lalbaug and adjacent areas. However, amidst the enthusiasm, allegations have surfaced regarding police brutality during the arrival procession of Ganesha idols from the Paral Workshop. The Ganeshotsav mandals have reported instances of police officers reportedly lathi-charging devotees, even after prior notifications were given to the police station.

Activists have expressed their concerns over these actions, asserting that despite prior communication with the police station about the arrival procession, workers are still being subjected to forceful measures by law enforcement. In response to these allegations, the Ganeshotsav Coordination Committee has conveyed its displeasure and has formally appealed to Police Commissioner Vivek Phalsankar to investigate and address the matter.

This year, the Ganeshotsav is scheduled to commence on September 19, prompting all the Ganeshotsav mandals to kickstart their preparations with heightened fervour. A large number of Ganesh mandals have already started their preparation. The Lalbaug area also houses several factories that craft large Ganesha idols, which are subsequently used by public Ganeshotsav mandals. To preempt any traffic disruptions and uphold law and order during the festival, many mandals in the region have adopted the practice of bringing Ganesh idols to their respective mandals a month ahead of the festival.

This year too, the Ganesh mandals started bringing Ganesh idols to mandals. Seizing the opportunity of Sunday, various groups opted to bring the Ganesh idols to their designated mandals yesterday. However, complaints have arisen from the mandals, asserting that police resorted to lathi-charging Ganesha devotees during these processions. Consequently, Girish Walawalkar, the Chief Executive of the Ganeshotsav Coordination Committee, penned a letter to the Police Commissioner, voicing their discontent over the reported incident.

As the Ganeshotsav draws near, a palpable sense of urgency permeates the workers of the Ganeshotsav mandals, striving to ensure the timely completion of decorations. Simultaneously, a substantial influx of visitors eager to witness the ongoing preparations has led to traffic congestion in the Lalbaug area, particularly on Sundays. In light of these challenges, the Coordination Committee has accused the police of wielding batons against procession participants.

While mandals are advised to inform the nearest police station ahead of their arrival processions, the Coordination Committee contends that in spite of informing the Bhoiwada Police about the procession, police resorted to action yesterday. Ganeshotsav is the identity of Mumbai, and the number of arrival processions is going to increase in the next few days. Therefore, the committee has demanded that appropriate orders should be given by the commissioner office to the local police administration in this regard.