The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Immersion of Vinayagar idols peaceful

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 24, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Immersion of Vinayagar idols peaceful

Staff Reporter

Police, members of the public were present in large numbers

— Photo: V. Ganesan

PEACEFUL COMPLETION: Volunteers of service organisations and Friends of Police assist in the immersion of Vinayagar idols in Chennai on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Various organisations took out Vinayagar idols in procession from different parts of the city and immersed them in the sea along the Chennai coast on Sunday.

With the help of cranes, volunteers from various service organisations and Friends of Police, the immersion was carried out, a senior police officer said.

The idols were immersed at the six designated spots – Pattinapakkam in Srinivasapuram, Kasimedu Fishing Harbour, behind Popular Weigh Bridge in Tiruvottiyur, behind the Carborundum Universal unit in the Tiruvottiyur, Palkalai Nagar in Neelankarai and near Ramakrishna Nagar in Ennore.

Public swarmed the Marina Beach in the evening to witness the immersion. Hawkers engaged in selling snacks and other eatables registered brisk sales.

There were some anxious moments when a large number of people who had come to attend a meeting organised at Valluvar Kottam from different parts of the State visited the beach in private buses. The presence of adequate police ensured that there was no trouble, a senior officer said.

Held, released

Hindu Munnani leader Ramagopalan and 39 of his supporters were arrested in the evening when they attempted to proceed along the Triplicane High Road-Bharati Salai junction with the Vinayagar idols. Police said that they arrested them as the stretch was not permitted for the procession.

They were released later, police added.

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