Bengaluru: At least 40 people were detained and prohibitory orders issued in Nagamangala town in Karnataka’s Mandya district following violent clashes during a Ganesha idol immersion procession on Wednesday night, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Dr Kumar confirmed that 40 individuals were taken into custody as a preventive measure to curb further violence.
According to reports, the violence began when stones were allegedly thrown at the Ganesha procession, escalating tensions between two groups. The situation quickly deteriorated, resulting in several shops and vehicles being set on fire.
Additional security forces from Mysuru and Hassan have been deployed to restore order, officials said.
Karnataka Home Minister Dr Parameshwara described the stone-pelting incident involving the Ganesha procession as “accidental,” downplaying the communal angle of the clashes.
Mandya district in-charge minister N Cheluvarayaswamy plans to convene a peace meeting to restore normalcy in the town.
Mandya MP and Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H D Kumaraswamy, condemned the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accusing local authorities of failing to protect the public.
