Low turnout, but tight security at Juhu beach for immersions

At the end of ten-day long Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, Ganesha visarjan was performed with traditional fervor and gaiety, across the city. Chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Moraya', filled the air, as thousands of devotees crowded Juhu Beach to bid adieu to their favourite deity.

However, according to sources, Juhu beach witnessed a low turnout this year. The police on Juhu Chowpatty said this year the crowd did not cross more than five thousand, while every year, Juhu is one of the most crowded immersion sites in the city.

"This year may be due to the rains or the tide, we did not see a major turnout as compared to previous years. We did not have any major case of stampede or violence amongst the crowd. Due to the tide we had advised the people to come in early for immersions and most of the household idols were immersed by 6pm" said Sagar Salunkhe assistant commissioner of police, Santacruz Police Station.

While initially the turnout on the beaches was low, devotees started pouring in after 7pm. According to sources, 153 Ganesh idols of sarvajanik Ganesh mandals and 2, 893 household idols were immersed by 8pm. Processions were taken out from localities in Andheri, Vile Parle and Santacruz, Khar, here on Sunday. The devotees carried the idols of Lord Ganesh on trucks crowded with devotees.

After the recent Delhi blast, the police stepped up security and were on a high alert. A tight vigil was maintained during the procession.

Nearly 450 home guard including the local police, striking commandos and SRPF, including 52 NSS volunteers and 55 lifeguards were part of the ''bandobast'' at Juhu. Use of two-wheelers in crowded areas has been prohibited. Around 10 CCTV cameras also kept a hawk's eye on the crowd during the immersion procession in different parts of the beach.

''Every 15 minutes, our police officers were checking the kalash bins were the devotees throw flowers and garland, for sings of any suspicious objects. For the past 2 to 3 days we have been reguarly sweeping the sand on the beach for buried land mines or bombs. Our plainclothes policemen were also inspecting the crowd,'' Salunkhe added.

People, mainly youths, were seen dancing to the tune of traditional instruments of dhol-tasha. Sprinkling of vermilion added colour to the festive occasion. Vilas Shelke, a resident of Vile Parle, who had come to immerse their household idol said, "Every year we come to Juhu beach for immersion. This year there was not so much crowd that made things easier for us as it gave us plenty of room to conduct pujas. Children also formed a human pyramid as a farewell to ganpati bappa. Saying goodbye to bappa is always the hardest part."

While, Reshma Narayan, from Andheri said that she was worried about the idol this year. "I feel bad at the state of our sea. It is polluted due to the recent oil spill. I do not have the heart to send Ganpati bappa into such contaminated waters," she said.