Two drown, one missing during Ganesh idol immersion in Thane district

On Thursday, the police reported two drowning incidents and one person going missing while immersing Ganesh idols in the Wada taluka of Maharashtra's Thane district. 

According to the police, Jagat Narayan Mourya (38) and Suraj Prajapati (25) drowned during idol immersion in a lake at Konsai village on Wednesday night. Firemen and divers launched recovered their bodies on Thursday morning, said an official from the police control room.

At Gorhe village in the taluka, one Prakash Thackeray (35) went missing during immersion of Ganpati idols in a lake on Wednesday and a search is underway to trace him, the police said. Across Thane district, more than 43,000 Ganesh idols, including 18 installed at public places, were immersed after one and a half days of the 10-day festival, said authorities.

In Thane city, Yasin Tadvi, who heads the Disaster Management Cell of the municipal body, reported that a total of 11,910 Ganpati idols were immersed. On the other hand, in the adjacent Palghar district, 4,500 idols were immersed with great reverence and in the midst of religious enthusiasm. As they proceeded to the immersion sites to bid farewell to their beloved elephant-headed deity, people joyfully danced to songs, music, and the rhythmic beats of drums. Chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya (Lord Ganesha, come back soon next year) filled the air.