24 September,2026 03:51 PM IST | Latur (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondent
The blockade brought traffic to a standstill, police said. Representational Pic/File
Maharashtra Police have registered a case against a local BJP functionary and 13 others for allegedly obstructing police personnel and blocking a national highway during a Ganesh immersion procession in Latur district, officials said on Thursday, reported the PTI.
The suspects, who are office-bearers of a local Ganesh mandal, allegedly ignored police instructions to switch off the DJ system and complete the immersion within the permitted time on Tuesday in Digol village of Shirur Anantpal tehsil, the news agency reported.
According to police, a home guard deployed for bandobast alerted senior officers that the DJ was being played at a high volume and that the mandal members were deliberately delaying the immersion, as per the PTI.
Senior police officers subsequently reached the spot and repeatedly asked the organisers to switch off the DJ and proceed with the immersion.
However, the mandal members and other participants allegedly refused to comply, argued with the police and allegedly manhandled and abused personnel, an official said, according to the PTI.
The situation escalated after BJP tehsil president Madhav Biradar allegedly called women from the village and led a group of people to block National Highway 63 between Latur and Udgir, the PTI reported.
According to police, the blockade brought traffic to a standstill. Vehicles were also allegedly parked in front of and behind a police vehicle, preventing it from moving.
The protesters allegedly raised slogans, provoked onlookers and continued the immersion procession beyond the permitted time.
Police said the protesters also allegedly threatened personnel to prevent them from carrying out their duties, despite repeated appeals to clear the highway.
A case has been registered against Biradar, office-bearers of the Ganesh mandal and other persons under relevant legal provisions, police said, the news agency reported.
The allegations are part of the police case and will be subject to investigation.
Meanwhile, as part of Anant Chaturdashi preparations, the Thane Police in Maharashtra have stepped up security across Zone 3, Kalyan, ahead of Ganpati Visarjan 2026 on Friday, deploying 2 DCPs, 4 ACPs, 25 police inspectors, 80 APIs/PSIs, and 795 police personnel.
The deployment also includes 160 Home Guards and two platoons of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) to manage security during visarjan processions and at immersion points.
(with PTI inputs)
