Incident during immersion procession in Subhash Nagar leaves family injured; probe under way
Thane, Sept 24: Police in Thane on Thursday registered a case against 12 persons after a woman and three members of her family were allegedly assaulted during a Ganesh immersion procession in Subhash Nagar, Ulhasnagar, officials said.
The complaint relates to an incident that took place on the night of September 20, when the 35-year-old woman reportedly asked a group taking part in the immersion procession to move down the street while playing heavy drums because the loud noise was disturbing her two children, aged 2 years and 4 months, a police official said.
"After she appealed for less noise, the group allegedly assaulted her, her husband, brother-in-law and another acquaintance and also abused and threatened them," the official said.
Acting on the familys complaint, police registered a case on Wednesday under sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and intentional insult, the official added. No further details about the identities of the accused or whether any arrests have been made were provided in the initial statement.
- Victims: Woman (35), husband, brother-in-law, one other acquaintance.
- Children affected: Ages 2 years and 4 months; disturbance cited as reason for complaint.
- Accused: 12 persons booked; charges include unlawful assembly, rioting and criminal intimidation.
The incident highlights tensions that can arise during large public religious processions, when sound levels, crowd movement and residential concerns intersect. Ganesh immersion (visarjan) is traditionally one of the busiest and most crowded phases of the Ganesh festival, with processions, bands and drums moving through residential pockets in Thane and adjoining Ulhasnagar.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | 20 September |
| Date case registered | 23 September (registered on Wednesday; reported Sept 24) |
| Police action | Case registered against 12 people; sections include rioting and criminal intimidation |
Residents in Ulhasnagar and other parts of Thane often raise similar concerns during festivals about amplified sound, the conduct of procession parties and childrens sleep and safety. Local police and municipal authorities ordinarily issue advisories and deploy traffic and crowd-control teams during immersion days, but enforcement and on-the-ground coordination can vary by locality.
Civic groups and resident associations in Thane have in the past called for clearer guidelines and stricter enforcement on sound limits and procession routes to prevent clashes between procession participants and residents. Police statements in this case indicate the matter reached formal criminal redress after the family alleged assault and threats.
The official account used by police to register the FIR was cited in a news dispatch from the Press Trust of India. The ongoing registration of offences means investigators will now examine eyewitness accounts, any available video or audio recordings and statements from both complainants and the accused before the police decide on arrests or chargesheets.
As Ganesh visarjan moves across the city in coming days, residents and procession organisers are urged to follow local advisories. For families living along procession routes, the episode in Subhash Nagar is a reminder of the need for local administration to balance festival fervour with neighbourhood safety and peace.
No information about the health status of those assaulted or whether medical treatment was sought was provided in the police statement carried in the news report.
The official description of the incident and the list of charges were quoted from a PTI report summarising statements given by Thane police.
