Police inspector suspended, 3 more held over violence during Ganesh idol procession in Karnataka's Nagamangala

Nagamangala, Karnataka: A police inspector has been suspended for dereliction of duty while three more people have been taken into custody in connection with the violence during a Ganesh idol immersion procession here.

The situation in this town in Mandya district, where clashes broke out between two groups following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension on Wednesday night, has returned to normal, police said on Friday.

Though the situation remains peaceful, additional police forces continued to be deployed in the town, where prohibitory orders prohibiting assembly of more than four people have been imposed till September 14 as a precautionary measure.

With the fresh arrests, the total number of people held in the case now stands at 55. The 52 people who were initially arrested have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days, police officials said.

A team of experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory also visited the spot on Thursday to collect evidence.

Police Inspector Ashok Kumar posted at Nagamangala town police station was suspended on Thursday evening for dereliction of duty in connection with the clashes that broke out during the procession, Mandya Superintendent of Police, Mallikarjun Baldandi told PTI.

"The situation is peaceful here and besides the 52 people already arrested, we have secured three more people in connection with the incident. We have additional police forces deployed and prohibitory orders will be in place till September 14," he said.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, who is Lok Sabha member from Mandya, visited the town on Friday.

Taking to social media platform 'X' on Thursday, Kumaraswamy strongly condemned the violent incidents.

"It is the proof of 'failure of law and order' in the town that the miscreants of a community deliberately raised a ruckus by targeting the devotees who were walking peacefully in the procession of God Ganapati, throwing stones and slippers on the public-policemen, exploding petrol bombs and brandishing swords," he had alleged.

Police said a case has been registered for unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, obstructing public servants, destruction of public property and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

A few people, including two policemen, sustained minor injuries in stone-pelting on Wednesday night.

According to police, an argument broke out between two groups, when the Ganesh idol procession by devotees from Badarikoppalu village reached a place of worship on Wednesday, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and goods torched and vehicles set on fire on Wednesday night, they added.

Police used mild force to disperse the crowd to control the situation.

The group of youth that carried out the procession halted and staged a protest near the police station, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the violence.