Kutch: Just days after the stone-pelting incident at a Ganesh pandal in the Sayedpura area of Surat, a similar incident occurred in Kotda Jadodar village of Nakhtarana taluka, Kutch, on Tuesday. Later, tension escalated in Bharuch on the intervening night of the 10th and 11th when two groups clashed over the installation of religious flags.

In the Kotda Jadodar village incident, three minors, in a pattern similar to that seen in Surat, attempted to damage a Ganesha idol by throwing stones, which resulted in the breaking of the idol’s trunk, which had to be later reattached using adhesive. The miscreants also hoisted a green flag atop the temple adjacent to the Ganpati pandal.

East Kutch SP Sagar Waghmare stated that local police immediately responded to reports of the idol-breaking at the village’s Ganesh pandal. Police also investigated the hoisting of the green flag. Officers from the entire district, including LCB and SOG, participated in the overnight investigation. Three minors were identified as responsible for the damage to the idol, while four others were detained in connection with the flag-related incident. Seven of the eight accused have been arrested, and the minor will be dealt with under the Juvenile Justice Act. The village is now peaceful, with a police presence in place. Authorities have urged the public not to spread rumors, viral messages, or videos.

Meanwhile, in Gokulnagar, west Bharuch, where both Hindu and Muslim communities reside, tensions rose amid Ganeshotsav celebrations and the approaching Eid-e-Milad festival due to the hoisting of religious flags and torans. Despite appeals to avoid placing flags and torans near each other’s homes, the situation escalated as crowds gathered, leading to a clash between two groups. However, police quickly arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Police registered complaints against the mob, including 20 named individuals, and arrested 17 of them. To prevent further escalation, police launched raids across the area and conducted a foot patrol early in the morning.

Bharuch District SP Mayur Chawda confirmed that although the situation was tense, it was brought under control by the police. Based on CCTV footage, cases have been registered against 20 individuals. A peace committee meeting was convened, and community leaders were urged to ensure that tensions do not escalate. The public has been advised not to circulate inflammatory messages, photos, or videos on social media, and the police are closely monitoring such activities, warning that action will be taken against violators. DeshGujarat