Vadodara: Chaos prevailed during a procession with a truck-mounted music system that was taking a Ganpati idol to its pandal late on Friday night. Police claimed that stones were pelted due to the music being stopped during the procession and the truck with the system halting on the road. The incident took place during the procession from Gorwa ITI taking the Ganpati idol to be installed at Karodiya.
Madhunagar is on the route of the procession. According to police, there was a misunderstanding among revellers which led to the confusion. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) Julie Kothiya said the incident had its roots in the music stopping.
“When the music stopped, people started shouting and asking why the music was turned off. Someone then shouted that stone pelting had taken place,” Kothiya said. She added that no stones were pelted at the procession.
Hearing someone raise the alarm, a few stones were thrown by some people without targeting anything in particular, Kothiya added. She said police personnel were at the spot and brought the situation under control soon. However, videos were circulated showing stone pelting taking place and policemen rushing to the direction from where the stones had come.
Kothiya said the stone pelting was not an exchange between two sides and had its root in the false alarm. She added that two people were found drunk and were taken into custody. While the Ganpati festival begins next month, processions to take Ganpati idols to their pa.
