Karnataka Unrest: 52 Arrested in Nagamangala After Ganesh Procession Sparks Riot

MANDYA: As many as 52 people have been detained in Nagamangala, Mandya district, Karnataka, and all schools and colleges will remain closed on Thursday said Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwar, after riots broke out over claims of stone pelting during a Ganpati immersion procession on Wednesday.

Parmeshwar said what happened in Nagamangala on Saturday should not have happened, but thankfully nobody received any injury. He added the situation is under control. He said flare-up began with stone pelting during the procession and was followed by the burning of vehicles.

He said that no one was injured, SP and IGP present at the site, and the situation was calm now. Parmeshwar further requested that such incidents should not be publicized. He said that 52 persons from both the groups have been arrested.

SP Mallikarjun Baladandi of Mandya explained that the incident took place when the Ganapati procession, after halting for about five to seven minutes before a Dargh and dancing before it, was approached by people from another group asking it to move on. This led to an exchange of words in raised tones. The police intervened and diffused the situation between the two groups.

Angered over this, the Ganpati procession group staged a protest in front of the Nagamangala station and accused the police of not allowing them to continue their procession. "We convinced them and at last permitted them to immerse Ganesh," SP Baladandi said.

During the melee, a lot of people from both sides started hurling stones at each other. The police again intervened. While leaving the spot, the groups set afire shops and bikes. "Seven bikes and six small shops were reduced to ashes, while 15 bikes and one car had minor damage in the whole incident," he said.

SP Baladandi further said that later the police took complete control of the situation and officials started patrolling on all streets. Meanwhile, BJP MLC CT Ravi charged the state government with failing to take action, saying that the miscreants pelted stones on the Ganesh procession in the belief that the government would save them.

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