Dindigul, September 11, 2013: The processions bearing Vinayaka idols and the mass immersion ceremony that followed passed off peacefully in Theni and Dindigul districts, except for a stone pelting incident in Batlagundu, on Tuesday.

A total of 552 idols were taken out in processions in six places in Dindigul district.

Amid tight security, 57 Vinayaka idols were borne in processions in Batlagundu and 46 idols in Nilakottai.

Hindu Munnani leader Rama Gopalan, who presided over the rally in both the places, said that disunity among Hindus was due to caste discrimination and untouchability.

Condemning the recent killings of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders, he urged Hindu youth to strive to protect the country’s unity as well as tradition and culture.

Heavy police presence was maintained along the procession route, particularly around the mosque in Batlagundu. The idol procession started at Batlagundu junction.

However, sudden violence marred the Vinayaka idol procession on Tuesday night.

An unidentified gang, which had gathered on the roof of the mosque near Batlagundu bus stand, pelted stones on the idol procession when it was crossing the mosque on the Batlagundu Main Road.

Windscreen of two buses were damaged and Nilakottai Tahsildar Sankaranarayanan and a few other Hindu Munnani cadre were injured in the stone pelting incident.

Condemning the attack on the idol procession, the HM cadre picketed Dindigul-Batlagundu Main Road seeking adequate protection to devotees and ensure safety to the procession.

The idols were immersed at Kannapatti tank later.

Another procession with 46 idols started from Sri Natarajan temple in Nilakottai and ended at Anaipatti. The idols were immersed in the Vaigai channel.

Similar processions were taken out in Oddanchatram, Kannivadi, Dharmathupatti and Gujiliamparai.

Theni

More than 380 idols were taken in processions in Bodi, Thevaram, Cumbum, Uthamapalayam, Kombai and Andipatti to mark the Vinayaka Chathurthi festival. A total of 49 idols in Uthamapalayam, 26 in Cumbum and 48 in Theni were taken out in procession.

More than 500 police personnel were deployed to ensure tight security.

A total of 552 idols were installed at various places in the district for the festival. Around 50 idols were immersed in Periyakulam on Monday.

A further 110 idols in Chinnamanur will be immersed on Wednesday.

Source: The Hindu, September 11, 2013