Thane: Lord Ganesh idols found in garbage, sparks outrage

Thane: The city police are presently carrying out a primary enquiry into a complaint of throwing the idols of Lord Ganesh, which were immersed in the artificial pond at Upavan, into the garbage. 

Sr. PI Sadashiv V Nikam of the Vartak Nagar police told this correspondent that the police have since yesterday received couple of complaints from the different persons and parties in this regard stating that the act of the contractor who was given the task of immersing the idols in the creek had dumped it in the open and this has hurt the sentiments of the devotees.

The issue was taken up by the leader of the opposition in the Thane Municipal Corporation Shannu Pathan (NCP) who himself along with his volunteers collected the idols and then immersed it once again in the artificial lake.

He has complained to the Thane Municipal Commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma in this regard and demanded action on the contractor who was given the task of disposing them off. He also made a demand that a criminal offence be registered against the contractor with the police and he be black listed.

The incident news of which spread like wild fire in the city brought in much anger among the devotees who thronged the lake to have the look at the state of their deity.

The National Council Member of the BJP and a senior BJP Leader Sitaram Rane, also took up the issue with the civic corporation and police and sought action on the contractor and also the concerned civic officer of the rank of the Assistant Municipal Commissioner for his failure to supervise the disposal.

In a related development, the contractor against whom the allegations were made through his men resorted to murderous attack on the local resident who opened up the topic and who turned out to be a whistle blower in the entire episode. In this regard all political party leaders and activists joined in their demand for the action on the contractor for first insulting the deity and second for the attack on the man who exposed the misdeeds.

The Vartak Nagar police are presently probing into the crime and no FIR is registered or no arrest is made in this connection so far it was stated.

Attempts to reach the civic officials for their comments on the issue failed as none of them responded to the queries.

Later in the night the Chitalsar police in the city registered criminal offences against the accused who beat up the man- whistle blower the police said.

Offences under sections 324,323,504 and 506 r/w 34 of the IPC has been registered against the two alleged accused whose names were given as Avinash Morale and Rajesh Jadhav who were attached to the contractor given the task of disposal of the idols.

The victim is Manish Tawde, 23, who was called by them at around 3.00 a.m. on Tuesday and beaten up blue and black.

No arrest is made in this connection so far the police said. (UNI)