Surat news: 33 arrested for stone pelting at Ganpati pandal; lathicharge, tear gas, 1000 police on spot

Surat news: Protests erupted in Gujarat's Surat on Sunday evening, after some people pelted stones at Lord Ganesha's idol at a pandal. The incident took place in the Sayedpura area.

All six people who were involved in stone pelting along with 27 others who encouraged the incident, have been arrested by the police, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi said.

“In the Sayedpura area of Surat, today 6 people pelted stone on the Ganesh Pandal…All these 6 people were arrested and the police have also arrested the other 27 people who were involved in encouraging such incident,” Sanghvi was quoted as saying by ANI.

Additionally, 1000 police personnel were deployed in the area to maintain law and order after tensions escalated following the stone pelting incident. Lathi charge, and tear gas was also used to disperse the protesters, said Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot.

“Some children pelted stones at a Ganesh pandal after which a clash broke out. The police immediately took away those children from there…Police were immediately deployed in the area. Lathi charge was done in all the areas where it was needed and tear gas was used…All the accused who were involved in the peace disturbance are being arrested. There are around 1,000 police personnel deployed all around,” said Gehlot, stated a Network 18 report.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi also visited the site of the incident and assured that necessary action would be taken against all the people involved in creating a ruckus at the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

“…The investigation is underway…police are deployed in all the areas of Surat…Those who will breach the peace, action will be taken against them,” said the Gujarat Home Minister, reported ANI.

Ganesh Chaturthi: Stone pelting in Madhya Pradesh

On Saturday, September 7, a similar incident of stone-pelting occurred during a Ganesh procession in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh.

The attack happened in the Mochipura area when devotees were carrying an idol of Lord Ganesh to the pandal.

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