Ganesh Immersion Turns Tense in Ahilyanagar as Police Lathi-Charge Leaves Activist Dead

Ganesh mandal workers have alleged that the lathi-charge took place over the throwing of gulal during the immersion procession. The incident has triggered tension in Ahilyanagar, with the atmosphere in the city remaining tense.

Mandal workers have alleged that the lathi-charge was carried out because of Police Deputy Superintendent Dilip Tiparse and Bhingar Police Station Assistant Police Inspector Tejashree Thorat, and that Deepak Wagsakar died in the incident. Following the worker’s death, Ganesh mandal members became aggressive and demanded action against the officials they hold responsible.

The death occurred during the Ganesh immersion procession in Bhingar, creating widespread commotion. According to the mandal workers’ allegation, police resorted to a lathi-charge over the throwing of gulal during the immersion. A young man died in the incident, following which the immersion procession was stopped at the spot.

After the incident, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA Sangram Jagtap reached Bhingar and also took an aggressive stand. Jagtap staged a sit-in on the road in Bhingar until 2 am.

The workers decided that Bhingar would remain closed and that Ganesh idols would not be immersed until cases were registered against the officials held responsible and they were immediately transferred. MLA Sangram Jagtap said that the decision to keep Bhingar closed and halt the immersion would remain in place until the alleged guilty officials faced criminal cases and were immediately transferred.

Hundreds of workers continued their sit-in near Bhingar Gate in Bhingar until late at night. Meanwhile, all the mandals that were preparing to immerse their Ganesh idols placed the idols on the road at the spot itself, creating a major administrative challenge.

The death of a Ganesh mandal worker during the immersion procession has therefore brought the celebrations to a halt in Bhingar, while demands for action against the police officials named by the workers remain at the centre of the tense situation.