Four drown, 13 missing during Ganesh idol immersion in Maharashtra

Mumbai:

At least four people drowned and 13 others went missing during Ganesh idol immersion in various districts of Maharashtra, police said on Sunday. Rescue operations are underway, with authorities deployed on the scene to trace the missing persons.

Four people swept away in Pune

In Pune district's Chakan area, four people were swept away in separate incidents. Two men were swept away in the Bhama river at Waki Khurd, one at Shell Pimpalgaon, and another slipped into a well at Birwadi. Officials said the bodies of two victims were recovered, while a search is underway for the others.

In Nanded district's Gadegaon, three people were swept away in a river. While one was rescued, efforts continue to trace the remaining two.

In Nashik, four people were carried away by floodwaters, with one body recovered in Sinnar. Similarly, three people were reported missing in Jalgaon after being swept away in separate incidents.

Immersion ceremonies also turned tragic in Thane district, where three people were swept away; one body has been recovered so far. In Amravati, a man is feared drowned during idol immersion.

Amid the continuous rainfall in various parts of the state, rivers, lakes and other water bodies were swollen, due to which the state disaster response teams and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed.

High tide delays immersion of Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol 

Meanwhile, the immersion of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most iconic idols of Lord Ganesh during the Ganpati festival in Mumbai, was delayed on Sunday after an unexpected rise in the Arabian Sea waters due to a high tide, sources said.
Generally, the Lalbaugcha Raja idol is immersed in the deep sea at Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai before 9 am after shifting it on a raft, but this year, for the first time, the process was delayed due to the unexpected circumstances, they said.

Despite the delay, thousands of devotees, who came to bid farewell to Lalbaugcha Raja, continued to wait at the chowpatty. The immersion procession of the idol started on Saturday and it was brought to Girgaon Chowpatty early Sunday morning, coinciding with a strong high tide.

The swift water surge caused a platform carrying the idol to start floating, making it difficult to align it properly with the raft meant to carry the idol into the deeper sea for immersion. For about three hours, the idol was in a few feet deep waters, with 15 to 20 volunteers and fishermen trying to maintain its balance.

(With PTI inputs)

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