London:

A 55-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault of an emergency worker, UK police said on Wednesday with reference to a social media video allegedly showing an altercation between an Indian-origin group of men and women and a police officer during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the city of Leicester.

Leicestershire Police said the man was taken into custody on Monday evening and has since been released under investigation as enquiries continue. It said the arrest was related to an “unplanned procession” following an “authorised religious festival celebration” which concluded earlier on Monday.

The police statement came in response to a social media post by a diaspora group of a Hindu priest allegedly being “pushed around” by a police officer during a Ganesh Chaturthi procession.

“Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations disrupted in Leicester. Hindu priest pushed around by Sgt Adam Ahmed of Leicestershire police,” tweeted Insight UK community group.

According to the police, its officers attempted to engage with the crowd to establish the details.

“We can confirm that a man, aged 55, was arrested on suspicion of assault of an emergency worker on Belgrave Road, Leicester, on the 18th September,” a Leicestershire Police statement said.

“The man was taken to custody and was since released under investigation as enquiries continue. An authorised religious festival celebration had been successfully facilitated earlier in the evening. We understand an additional unplanned procession was then found to be underway on the street,” the statement noted.

“There are legal requirements surrounding processions and therefore officers attempted to engage with the crowd to establish the details of an organiser. This led to an incident, where the man was arrested and is now subject to investigation,” it added.

The police force said its officers continue to engage with the local community and those involved in any celebrations to ensure that everyone is able to celebrate safely.

“We actively encourage any organisers of events to inform the Council so that gatherings can be appropriately supported to ensure the safety of those involved and to ensure the proper flow of traffic in the area,” the statement concluded.

The city of Leicester was the scene of communal clashes a year ago, in September 2022, in the wake of an India-Pakistan cricket match. The unrest, which led to several arrests, is now the subject of an independent review set up by the UK government to establish the facts.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Mumbai is steeped in devotion to welcome the annual homecoming of Lord Ganesh as the 10-day festival began on Tuesday with decorations in pandals and houses getting final touches.

A total of 2,729 ‘sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals’ have been permitted to organise public Ganesh festivities by erecting ‘pandals’, the city civic body said on Monday.

Preparations for the festival have been completed by conducting a special drive that included checking pandal premises, idol immersion routes and spots.

To maintain security during the festival that sees lakhs of people visiting pandals in ten days, more than 13,750 police personnel have been deployed in the city, an official said.

They comprise 11,726 constables, 2,024 officers from the rank of sub-inspector to the assistant commissioner and 15 deputy commissioners, he said on Monday.

Notifications issued by the traffic police listed several moves for a smooth flow of vehicles in the metropolis, including a ban on heavy vehicles on certain days.

“There will be a ban on the operation of private buses and heavy vehicles in South Mumbai on September 21,24,26 and 29. Between September 19 to 29, all types of heavy vehicles are allowed to operate between midnight and 7 AM, except September 21,24,26 and 29 in South Mumbai,” the official said.

Immersion day (September 28) will see a larger presence of police on the ground and manpower details being chalked out, the official informed.

Ganesh festivities are the most patronised in Mumbai, with idols of Lord Ganesh being installed in pandals and at homes.

From the launch of Chandrayaan-3 to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, Ganesh mandals in Mumbai have gone all out with the themes for the pandals.

Mumbaikars have been thronging the popular shopping spots of the city at Dadar, Crawford Market, and Lohar Chawl, to buy decor items, flowers, and puja materials among other festival paraphernalia.

People are in for a visual treat this year, as the city’s Ganesh mandals have come up with fascinating thematic decorations for their pandals.

Pandal-hoppers will get to see themes of the Chandrayaan-3 launch, Ayodhya Ram Temple, and the 350th anniversary of the coronation of warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, showcased by big mandals or pandals in the city.

While a majority of the big mandals have already brought their idols to the pandals in grand processions over the last few weeks, household ‘bappas’ will make their way home to the beat of drums and happy chants on Tuesday.

A large number of devotees are expected to visit Lalbaug in central Mumbai to catch a glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most celebrated Ganeshas of the city, followed by GSB Seva Mandal’s Ganpati in Matunga, which is considered the richest and known for its grandeur.

Other famous Ganesh mandals are in Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.

Apart from these, people will also get to see the city’s tallest Ganesha at 45 feet in the Khetwadi area of Girgaum.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has completed the works of filling potholes, pruning trees, and cleaning areas, as well as deployment of medical, ‘nirmalya’ and lifeguard teams have been completed.

A BMC release said a special cleanliness drive was undertaken in Mumbai on Sunday as a part of the Union government’s ‘Indian Cleanliness League 2.0’, an intercity cleanliness competition. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)