Police have arrested 27 accused of pelting stones on Ganesh Pandal in Surat, Gujarat. Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi himself performed Puja-Aarti on Monday morning at the Puja Pandal where stones were pelted a day earlier in Variavi Lal Gate area of Syedpura police station area. Earlier, he had promised to arrest the stone-pelters before sunrise. Later, while giving information about fulfilling the promise, he said that 27 accused have been arrested and the search for others is on.
Harsh Sanghvi wrote on Instagram at 4:20 am, ‘Strict action on Ganesh Pandal stone pelting incident in Surat city. All the accused will be arrested before the first sunrise in Surat city. A massive combing operation has been launched with the help of videos and drone visuals. Combing is still going on. No one trying to break law and order will be spared! Please beware of any fake messages. I and my team Surat Police are present at the spot. Jai Ganesh!’
Sanghvi informed about fulfilling his promise at 6:30 in the morning. He said, ‘As I promised, we have caught the stone pelters before sunrise. 27 stone pelters arrested. CCTV, video visuals, drone visuals and other technical surveillance work is still going on. Strict action will be taken against all the accused. Our teams were working all night and are still working to identify the stone pelters and punish them. Jai Ganesh!’
The Home Minister also posted a video on social media of performing Ganpati Aarti in the morning and wrote, ‘Along with the Surat Police team and the organizers of the Ganesh Mandal, I performed the Aarti and Puja of Ganeshji at the same Ganesh Pandal where stone pelting took place.’ It is alleged that on Sunday some boys from the Muslim community had pelted stones at the Ganesh Pandal. After this, the Hindus of the area became angry. The mob surrounded the Syedpura police station. Thousands of people gathered at the intersection and started raising slogans. During this, some vehicles were also vandalized.
