Three artisans were booked in Indore for allegedly creating “objectionable” Ganesh idols for upcoming festivities, police said on Monday. The three idol makers, Chandranath Pal, Ratanlal Pal and Raju Pal, who were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 299 (deliberate act intended to outrage religious feelings), following a complaint lodged by a Bajrang Dal worker at Khajrana police station, police said. The three make idols on demand at a facility near Bengali Square. The Bajrang Dal worker’s complaint claimed that objectionable idols of Lord Ganesh were being made in the Khajrana area on the demand of some customers. “We immediately registered an FIR against the three sculptors. Preventive action is also underway,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrendra Singh said. The administration will hold a meeting with all idol makers in the city to ensure such incidents are not repeated, the officer said. Some videos being shared on social media purportedly showed the accused having their faces blackened by some people outside a police station. Bajrang Dal district convener Lucky Raghuvanshi said, “Members of the Hindu community blackened their faces to protest against the creation of such idols. One idol showed Lord Ganesh walking the ramp, while another showed him lifting a woman in his arms.” Police said the accused hail from West Bengal and are traditional idol makers. Sculptor Atul Pal, who has worked with the accused idol makers, said the idols were ordered by customers from the adjoining Dewas district after having got the idea from images on social media. Following objections from Bajrang Dal workers, the customers cancelled their orders, Pal said. (With PTI inputs)
