On Tuesday Thousands of Mumbaikars thronged roads to bid adieu to the most adorable 'Lalbaug cha Raja' Ganesh idol during the immersion procession, however thieves went about their business by flicking mobile phones and valuables, undeterred by the police deployment.
Police in central Mumbai have recorded 32 theft cases involving mobile phones, jewelry, and other valuables during the immersion procession. An officer stated that personnel were strategically deployed along the route of the Lalbaugcha Raja procession. As devotees celebrated the farewell of Lord Ganesh, thieves took advantage of the crowd to steal items like mobile phones, gold jewelry, bags, and wallets. Multiple individuals visited the Kalachowkie police station to report the thefts, which included cash and valuables. Authorities suspect the involvement of an organized gang in these crimes.
On the final day of the 11-day Ganesh festival, thousands of Lord Ganesh idols were immersed in the Arabian Sea, ponds, and artificial lakes. This year, the number of household idol immersions increased, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reporting a total of 209,000 idols immersed, including 10,286 public idols. This surpasses last year's total of 205,000.
While the number of immersions on Anant Chaturdashi was slightly lower than last year, the overall figures remained high due to a rise in household immersions. "We saw a gradual increase on each immersion day. Last year, 195,000 household idols were immersed. The BMC also set up more artificial lakes this year, leading to nearly 40 percent of idols being immersed in an environmentally friendly way," stated a civic official.