Communal tension erupted in Bhiwandi late Tuesday night after stones were thrown at a Ganesh idol, damaging it near Hindustani Mosque during the Ganpati immersion procession.
Outraged by the incident, the Ganesh Mandal demanded the arrest of those responsible and refused to continue with the immersion. Police intervened, resorting to a lathi charge to control the crowd, with several injuries reported.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Additional Commissioner of Police Dnyaneshwar Chavan stated that the Ganpati immersion procession had begun peacefully near Hindustani Mosque and was progressing smoothly. However, the situation escalated after a stone was thrown, leading to disputes and altercations among some individuals, which caused a commotion.
"The situation is now under control, and those involved in the disturbances are being identified for legal action. Some individuals have been detained for questioning, and further actions will follow," he added.
According to reports, similar incidents of stone-pelting occurred in various other parts of Maharashtra. In Lagaon Jamod town, some youths were reportedly injured after stones were thrown at them around 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the Chubhara area.
Another such incident was also reported from the Buldhana region.
The Bhiwandi incident has stirred outrage on social media, with many users demanding strict action against the miscreants.
According to local reports, BJP MLA Mahesh Prabhakar Choughule visited the site after the incident. Hindu activists were reportedly heard raising "Jai Shree Ram" slogans.
