With the COVID-19 crisis showing no sign of receding, Mumbai witness muted Ganeshotsav this year. A Ganpati mandal in Vasai was booked for violating the state government's guidelines of celebrating the festival.
According to a report by Mid-Day, Manikpur police have booked chairperson of Vasai-cha Bappa Mitra Mandal and its members for not following social distancing norms. A police official told the leading daily that the mandal violate social distancing norms and were dancing on the road without face masks at the time of visarjan.
The official further added that about 14 people had gathered at one place for the immersion of these idols and some of them were not wearing facemasks. The cops have booked the chairperson of Vasai-cha Bappa Mitra Mandal and its members under Sections 188 and 269 of IPC and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act.
The state government has repeatedly appealed to local residents to avoid crowding outside mandals, and celebrate the festival at home by following all norms to prevent Covid-19 infection from spreading. For the Ganpati idols immersion, the state earlier issued a slew of directions and restrictions that included a limited number of people at immersion sites, and a cap on the size of the Ganesh idols.
