It was a deviation of just 50 metres from the police-approved route map that led to communal clashes in Karnataka’s Mandya district during the Ganpati Visarjan procession on Wednesday, police officials said.
The route map provided by the police for the procession included taking a U-turn at the Mandya Circle to head towards Belur. “But the procession, as part of their festivities, went ahead by 50 metres, stopping right in front of a mosque which led to friction between two groups,” Mandya SP Mallikarjun Baladandi told News18.
A senior police official on the ground explained that the procession was to pass through a sensitive area and, in order to ensure smooth movement, the route map was created for the procession to turn less than 50 metres away from the mosque. The revellers continued to dance and play loud music despite the efforts of the police to keep them moving ahead, he said.
“Had the procession passed in front of the mosque within one or two minutes, the situation would not have escalated. The delay of five to seven minutes, along with sloganeering, led to the instigation,” explained the officer.
The clash occurred when the procession was passing through Nagamangala town and was to take a turn near the Mandya Circle to head towards Belur. In their revelry, the revellers stopped near T Mariappa Circle and continued to dance, leading to chaos. The police are analysing CCTV footage to investigate which group first instigated the clash.
“When the procession was passing through this sensitive area, the organisers began dancing to loud music and chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in one particular spot. The opposing group asked them to proceed instead of dancing there, which led to the altercation between the groups,” the SP said.
The stone-pelting began an hour after the procession had crossed the mosque. Later, one of the groups from the procession approached the police station, stating they were not allowed to move around the area and faced restrictions from the opposing group. Those who were part of the procession also alleged that the police had failed in their duty to provide adequate security for the procession.
“We convinced them that the police had done their best and would be present to allow the immersion of the idol. However, the groups began pelting stones at each other and tried to take law into their own hands. They began chanting religious slogans. However, there were no physical clashes as the groups stayed on their sides and pelted stones as the police intervened to bring them under control,” the official added. Both groups resorted to stone-pelting and throwing bottles, forcing the police to resort to lathi charge to control the crowds.
Another group, opposing the procession’s halt in front of the mosque, resorted to arson and set fire to nearby shops and a bike showroom. According to police, around 15 two-wheelers were partially or completely damaged, and six shops were set on fire, with several nearby shops damaged as miscreants pelted stones and attacked them.
“Around 15 bikes were partially damaged. Two police personnel sustained minor injuries but are fine now. There are no reports of public injuries. If any complaints arise, we will consider them,” he added.
When asked about the families of those detained showing up at the police station, Baladandi said: “They came with their family members and relatives, believing that they had been arrested. We informed them that if anyone is found to be involved in the incident, they will be arrested. If not, they will be released after questioning.”
CCTV footage also showed some of the miscreants stealing bikes from the attacked showroom, said officers.
The Karnataka Police have so far arrested 52 people in connection with the clashes, and prohibitory orders are in force to maintain law and order.
The opposition BJP in Karnataka called the incident a result of the “dangerous game of appeasement politics”. The state BJP unit took to social media to question the ruling Congress, asking, “Was Mandya district ever in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan?”
Leader of the Opposition and senior BJP leader R Ashok called this an act by the “bigoted forces in the Congress government, who are once again in full swing. In Karnataka, which was a garden of peace for all races, the misadventure of Jihadi thorns is disturbing the peace”.
Union minister for heavy industries and steel HD Kumaraswamy condemned the attack, calling it proof of ‘failure’ of law and order in the state. He also warned the Congress against “appeasement politics”.
Meanwhile, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the clashes could not be termed “communal violence” and preliminary investigations indicated that the incident happened on the “spur of the moment”.
In 2022, a similar incident took place in Karnataka’s Ranebennur where several people attacked a Ganesh Visarjan procession as it passed a dargah. According to the FIR filed after the incident, “more than 300-500 people attacked the procession with dangerous weapons, which subsequently led to the clash”. The FIR stated that “the attackers reignited violence in an already disturbed area in terms of communal rift”. Though the mob was dispersed almost immediately, the district of Haveri, where it took place, remained tense for nearly a month. The FIR was filed against 300-500 unidentified persons.
In 2015, Karnataka’s Kadolkar Galli in Belagavi district saw skirmishes when the Ganesh procession turned violent, leading to two police officers being injured as they tried to control the clashing groups. The incident was reported just days after a similar immersion procession in Mudhol, Bagalkote district, led to a riot. The rioters torched 21 vehicles, destroyed 40 shops and two houses, and injured 10 police officers. Prohibitory orders were imposed for three days to restore peace in the region. A total of 69 people was arrested in connection with the case.