16th/17th September 2024 marked the end of the 10-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. Over the first 2 weeks of September, 16 separate reports have emerged across India of Islamists attacking Hindus marking Ganesh Utsav with stone pelting and other forms of violence. In Gujarat, there were 7 incidents: Mundra (6th Sept), Lal Gate-Surat (7th-8th), Syedpura-Surat (6th-7th) Nakhatrana-Kutch (10th), Bharuch (10th), Mahoba (14th), Kheda (17th). 3 incidents where report in UP; Lucknow (10th), Farrukhabad (16th) and Jhansi (15th) and 2 in Maharashtra; Pune (14th) and Bhiwandi (17th). Elsewhere there were attacks in Nagamangala town-Karnataka (11th), Trilokpuri-Delhi (16th) and Balrampur-Chhattisgarh (17th).
On 6th September, Hindus in Bangladesh preparing for the festival were attacked by Islamists in the Kadam Mubarak area in Chittagong city. In addition to throwing hot water over the Ganesh Murthi, bricks were thrown at Hindus which resulted in a serious head injury.
About the image: The incidents in Surat escalated to the point that the police force was deployed to prevent escalation. Several officers were injured by stone pelting.