12 dead as 12-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations ends in Maharashtra

At least 12 persons, including minors and an on-duty policeman, lost their lives during immersion ceremonies on Anant Chaturdashi, marking the end of the 12-day long Ganeshotsav celebrations throughout the state on Tuesday, officials said.

Four persons drowned in the Indrayani river in the twin cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, three in Aurangabad, two in Jalgaon and one each in Nashik and Beed during the day as thousands of the gigantic, large, medium and small idols of the popular elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha, were taken out for immersions in various water bodies.

In Mumbai, an Assistant Sub-Inspector who was posted on Ganeshotsav duty at Lalbaug in Parel, suddenly collapsed and died. Further details were awaited.One person was reported to be missing in Indrayani river in Pune and a search is on to trace him, officials said.Earlier in the morning, idols of Lord Ganesha were taken down from their pedestals amid chanting of the "Udvasana Mantra" and carried out of the various marquees, societies and individual homes in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Nashik, coastal Konkan districts and other towns in the state.

This was the 125th year of the state's biggest public festival, started in a modest way by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1894 to rally the masses during the Independence movement and bypass restrictions imposed by the British rulers on public meetings. The idols were brought onto the roads to the accompaniment of 'dhols' (drums), cymbals, with thousands dancing and chanting "Ganpati Bappa Moraya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya" in clouds of auspicious red 'gulaal'..Read More