A peaceful Ganesh idol immersion procession turned tense on Monday night after it was attacked by stone-pelters in the Gautam Nagar area of the city. Gautam Nagar police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against three named individuals, Yameen, Abdul Haleem, and Sahil alias Baccha, along with several unnamed others. Police initially detained Abdul Haleem, but his involvement is now considered doubtful as CCTV footage shows him at his tyre shop at the time of the incident. The other two named accused, Sahil and Yameen, are currently absconding. According to Station House Officer (SHO) Mahendra Singh Thakur, the incident took place around 9:15 pm when the procession, enroute from Arif Nagar to DIG Bungalow, was met with a sudden barrage of stones. The attack damaged several idols. Enraged devotees and local residents halted the procession at the main square, chanting slogans and staging a protest that disrupted traffic for over an hour.

 

Late into the night, a large crowd gathered outside the police station demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. Police assured the crowd that the culprits would be identified using CCTV footage and witness statements. While police have called upon the complainant, Charan Singh Kushwaha, and others to record their statements, no one has come forward yet. Thakur stated that a search is on for Sahil and the other absconding accused, and police expect a breakthrough in the case soon. Sahil ‘Baccha’ Faces Second FIR: In a separate but related development, another FIR has been filed against Sahil ‘Baccha’ and his associates, Shehzad, Sumer, and Saboor. Azharuddin alias Shera, a resident of Rambha Nagar, lodged a complaint alleging that around 7 pm on Monday, Sahil and his accomplices forcibly entered his home, vandalised property, demanded money, and assaulted him. This incident occurred just an hour before the stone-pelting on the procession. Police are investigating both cases jointly.