8 injured, 20 detained following clashes amid Ganesha idol procession in Karnataka’s Maddur; curfew imposed

According to the police, the incident took place around 8 pm near a mosque in Ram Rahim Nagar when the procession from Siddhartha Nagar 5th Cross was underway. People allegedly pelted stones at the procession, prompting a retaliation from another group which targeted the mosque, before it escalated into a clash between the two communities, officers said.

#WATCH | Mandya, Karnataka | Police use lathi charge to disperse the people protesting against the reported incident of stone pelting during the Ganesh Idol immersion in Maddur town, Mandya, yesterday. https://t.co/IYWSoKfGJh pic.twitter.com/VYlnPONCuc

— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2025

The police said the situation deteriorated rapidly as members from both communities gathered at the site, joined by activists of the BJP, RSS, and Bajrang Dal. The personnel deployed struggled to disperse the crowds and restore calm. The situation, however, became more complex when members of the Ganesha Visarjana Samiti staged protests in front of another mosque, demanding justice for the earlier incident.

Mallikarjun Baldandi, Superintendent of Police (SP), Mandya, rushed to the spot to assess the situation and coordinate the response. Police officers also engaged with religious leaders of both communities in a bid to ease the tension and prevent further escalation.

On Monday, Hindutva organisations held protests in Maddur town and demanded action against those who pelted stones.

Last year, a clash broke out during the Ganesha idol immersion procession at Nagamangala in Mandya and several shops were set ablaze, leading to losses of around Rs 2.5 crore.