On Sunday night when the mandal workers of Kamathipura’s gully no.13 were bringing in the Ganesha idol, an egg was thrown towards the Idol allegedly by Abdul Karim Atru Khan alias Shahbaz (25). The egg missed the idol and landed on the right side of the trolley carrying the idol.
Mumbai’s biggest festival Ganesh Chaturthi is hardly 10 days away and big mandals bring their idols at least a week or two in advance. There’s a tradition to take the idols with all celebrations from the workshop to the pandal.
Amrut Kala Mandal has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Kamathipura’s Gully number 13 for the last 34 years and is a registered body. On Sunday pandal workers and devotees were bringing the idol to their pandal from Chinchpokli.
When the procession entered, and was passing Paddha Cottage building that an egg was allegedly thrown towards the idol, the egg landed on the right side of the trolley.
The workers of the mandal got agitated after this incident, but didn’t lose their cool. They instead called the police helpline number 100 and informed the police about the misbehaviour.
Meanwhile some mandal workers spotted a police officer on his bike and informed him about the incident. Immediately the information was relayed to Nagpada police station and police officers, including senior police officer of the Nagpada police station reached the spot.
After which the police and some mandal workers including the president of the mandal entered the Paddha Cottage and visited the second floor from where the egg was allegedly throw towards the Ganesh idol.
On initial inquiry into the matter, the police entered a house close by. A woman and a senior citizen who were present inside the house gave no response.
According to the FIR registered, during the search they found a man hiding in the bathroom. On being asked why was he hiding he couldn’t satisfy the police with his answers.
The man identified as Abdul Karim Atru Khan alias Shahbaz aged 25 years allegedly confessed to have thrown the egg, post which Police along with the mandal workers took him to the police station.
There was some tension in the area, but it was immediately doused and the police registered an FIR against Abdul alias Shahbaz under IPC 293 A and 153 A of the IPC for promoting enmity between groups.
Senior Police Inspector Khade of Nagpada police station Ramesh Khade confirmed the arrest and said that they will present the accuse in the court.
However, the entire incident has taken the locals by surprise. The FIR was registered by Santosh Amrute the president of the Mandal. Amrute in his statement has recorded that the incident happened in front of him.
A local said, “For all these years we have never had any problem, our area comprises of members form both the community but we were surprised to see an egg behind thrown towards the Ganesh idol. This has enraged many of us.”
This incident has agitated a lot of people, because in Mumbai, Ganesh Chaturthi is the biggest festival celebrated by all, and never such incident of disrespect towards the Ganesh idol has been shown.
Instead when the procession of Lalbaugcha Raja and other Ganesh idols pass by on the last day for immersion, people from all faith come together on the streets and pay their respects. This incident has shocked the city.
