Bhopal Police on Sunday barred use of non-motorised boats sans life jackets for Ganesha idol immersion. Devotees were asked to use water tanks placed at every nook and corner. However, a few devotees refused to budge resulting in heated arguments. However, the police strictly enforced the ban citing depth of water bodies. Police teams were deployed at various ghats and spots designated for immersion and acted against unsafe immersion through non-motorised boats. Even boatmen without life-jackets were not allowed to venture into the water body.
Police team visited designated ghat near ICUF Ashram, Shahpura Lake and stopped immersions on boats as boatmen had no life-jackets. The team said that they have been instructed by senior officials not to allow immersion on such boats. There is a small water body near ICUF Ashram and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) had notified it immersion as it is separate from Shahpura Lake.
Cop Mukesh Tomar said, “We have been asked to stop immersion without life jackets. Devotees have been told to immerse idols in tanks. The ICUF Ashram water body near Rainbow restaurant is quite deep and could result in a mishap. Hence, life jacket has been made mandatory.” Another team visited Shahpura Lake and stopped unsafe immersion. As non-motorised boatmen had no life jacket, devotees were instructed to use water tanks. BMC administration had made arrangement for safe –immersion by placing water tanks. Administration requested devotees to use water tanks for immersions.
