Stones thrown at Ganesh Pandal in Surat, six minors detained, 28 others held

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi and senior police officers visited the incident site and promised strict action against the culprits.

Ahmedabad: 28 persons have been arrested for allegedly pelting stones at a Ganesh pandal in a communally sensitive locality in Surat city which led to rioting between two communities late Sunday night.

Hours after the case, the civic body on Monday demolished several commercial units which were alleged to have been constructed on encroached lands.

Surat police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot in a media briefing said that a total of 28 persons and six minors were detained following the clash and appropriate legal steps were being taken against them. He said that along with six minors their parents have also been detained for questioning. 

On Sunday late in the night, an idol of Lord Ganesh was damaged by some minors in Sayedpura locality who allegedly threw stones at the pandal. The stones damaged the idol and injured one person. The police detained the minors and brought them to Lalgate police station where a mob of about 300 to 400 people gathered demanding release of the minors. The members of another community also reached the spot and a clash erupted. 

Police said that stones were pelted at each other. Gehlot said that several policemen were injured in the stone pelting and many vehicles were damaged. He said that the police had to resort to baton charge and fire teargas shells to disperse the mob. according to Gehlot, three separate FIRs have been filed. One of FIRs is against six minors for rioting and hurting religious sentiments under juvenile act. 

The police commissioner said that the minors allegedly traveled to the Ganesh pandal for nearly a km from their residence, which indicated that they might have been influenced to do that. Second and third FIRs have been filed by the police against the mob for attempting to murder, rioting, damage to public property, among other charges.

"As I promised, we have caught the stone-pelters before sunrise! 6:30 am #Surat Update Here are the details: ⁃27 stone-pelters arrested ⁃CCTV, video visuals, drone visuals, and other technical surveillance work is still ongoing. Strict action will be taken against all accused. Our teams have worked whole night & yet to identify the stone-pelters and bring them to justice. Jai Ganesh!! (sic)," minister of state for home (MoS) Harsh Sanghavi wrote in a post on X. 

Sanghavi had rushed to the spot and promised strict action against the offenders soon after the clash. He performed pooja at the same pandal along with Surat policemen and organisers of the Gandesh festival where he promised that the accused would be arrested before the sunrise. 

Later on Tuesday, Sanghavi told reporters that "the stone-pelters will be dealt with strictly." He said that "stone pelters are not just legal offenders but also social offenders." He cited Gujarat police's slogan of "Kayde me rahenge, toh fayde mein rahenge (if you stay within the rules, you will be benefited" to indicate that accused will face the consequences. Meanwhile, a number of videos flooded the social media where the suspects were shown getting out of the police vehicles limping. 

According to Surat police commissioner, reports of stone pelting had occurred last year as well during Ganesh visarjan but no case was filed after few minors were found to be involved. He said that in view of the last year incident, some police force had been deployed.