GANESH visarjan near Champanerigate adjoining the sensitive Yaqutpura locality was marred by several incidents of stone-throwing on Tuesday, forcing the police to explode several teargas shells and fire five rounds in the air to bring the situation under control. Mayor N V Patel was a participant in this Ganapati procession. The mayor’s car, parked in the area, was also hit by stones in the incident.
The police cordoned off the entire area around Champanerigate to search for suspects involved in stone-throwing. Three police personnel were reported to be injured in the stone-throwing. The incident took place at 8.30 pm.
Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha, when contacted, confirmed bursting of 2-3 teargas shells but he was not sure about the police firing. ‘‘Yes, two or three tear gas shells were burst but there was probably no firing,’’ he said, adding that he was not at the spot at the time of the incident. However, private witnesses reported police firing in the air.
BJP leader and Gujarat Minority Development Board Chairman Gani Qureishi, who was also present at the Champanerigate at the time, said police acted fast and brought the situation under control. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Wabang Jamir said incidents of stone-throwing were also reported from other parts of the city like Bahar Colony, Panigate-Mandvigate, Kangara Chawl and in front of the Basil School in Tandalja area when Ganesh processions passed from these areas. However, the miscreants were chased away by the police.
Two shops on M G Road, located just in front of the Mandvigate police control, were reportedly looted, said a police official.
Earlier, there was tension in the city in the wake of the Ganesh visarjan. Besides, the arrest of a mentally-deranged youth belonging to the minority community who had misbehaved with some girl-students also added to public fears of communal trouble.
In response to a request of the police in the interests of peaceful visarjan, members of the minority community closed their shops and business establishments and stayed indoors. It was as if a self-imposed curfew had been imposed in the Muslim localities.