Ganesh idols topple in Palghar and Thane amid heavy rain ahead of festival

Heavy rain and gusty winds disrupted Ganesh Chaturthi preparations in Maharashtra on Saturday evening, causing idols to topple during two separate processions in Palghar and Thane districts.

In Nalasopara West, Palghar district, members of a Ganeshotsav mandal were moving an idol from an artisan's workshop to their pandal when the weather suddenly turned. Devotees crowded around the idol and tried to shield it with a plastic tarpaulin as the downpour intensified.

During that effort, the trolley carrying the idol became unstable. The idol tilted and fell, briefly trapping four to five people underneath. Local residents and fellow devotees moved in quickly and pulled those caught under the structure to safety. No serious injuries were reported.

A video of the incident, which has since surfaced on social media, shows the chaotic moments after the idol toppled. It also captures devotees attempting to cover the idol just before it lost its balance.

In a separate incident the same day, an idol tipped over during an arrival procession in the Bhayander area of Thane district. It was being taken from Navghar to the pandal of Sheetal Chhaya Mitra Mandal in Bhayander West when it lost balance near Golden Nest Chowk.

The idol was damaged in the fall, and a young man sustained injuries, according to eyewitnesses.

Both incidents occurred on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, which begins tomorrow, as mandals across the state transport idols to pandals for the festival.