Surat: 8 Detained for Drunk Revelry During Ganesh Idol Procession

The incident occurred on Sunday, 1 September in Golwad area of Surat

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) JK Pandya, the Ganesh Idol procession was taken out by Shiv Ganesh Yuvak Mandal in Golwad area Surat.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj

Video producer: Anubhav Mishra

While the the festival of Lord Ganesh was celebrated with pomp and devotion across the country by believers on Sunday, 1 September, revellers in the Golwad area of Surat were caught on video drinking and dancing in front of a Ganesh idol.

Videos showing a group of men dancing and singing on the streets to loud Bollywood music while consuming beer, went viral. Officers of the Mahidharpura Police Station, in whose jurisdiction the incident took place, took cognizance in the matter and arrested eight persons on Tuesday, 3 September.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) JK Pandya, the Ganesh Idol procession in the videos was taken out by Shiv Ganesh Yuvak Mandal in Golwad area Surat.

The arrested men have been charged under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 143 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.

Their names are Kamlesh Rana, Tejas Rana, Roshan Rana, Amit Rana, Ramesh Rana, Ashraf Khan, Akhtar Khan Pathan & Rajnikant Rana.