Six individuals were injured after miscreants allegedly threw stones during a Ganesha idol immersion procession in Davanagere, Karnataka, on Thursday. The six injured include two police constables who were engaged in patrolling the area. However, the situation was quickly brought under control by police on-site, preventing further escalation.
The incident took place on Thursday evening as Venkatbhavi Ganpati procession was passing near Chamrajpet Circle. The trouble started when some Hindu youths reportedly raised slogans in favor of Lord Rama as the procession neared the circle, as reported by Deccan Herald. In response, another group of youths began chanting slogans in support of Islam, leading to a heated verbal exchange between the two groups.
According to police, the stone pelting began immediately and lasted approximately for three minutes. The members from both communities intervened and persuaded the groups to stop, helping defuse the tension.
Constables Raghu and Annapoorna, along with four others, were injured during the altercation.
The police, along with community members, managed to control the situation and allow the procession to continue. The idol of Lord Ganesha was successfully immersed without further incident. In light of the clash, local authorities have heightened police presence in the area to prevent any potential flare-ups. Discussions are also underway about imposing prohibitory orders to maintain peace.
Initial investigations suggest that the tension may have been sparked by provocative social media posts exchanged between the two communities on Wednesday, which led to the unrest during the immersion procession.
The police are currently identifying those responsible for the incident and further investigations are ongoing.