T Narasipura on High Alert as Ganapati, Constitution Yatras Share Route

MYSURU, SEPTEMBER 18: T Narasipura in Mysuru district remained on high alert on Friday as a dispute over the route of the Hindu Mahaganapati Shobha Yatra coincided with a separate Constitution ‘Sauharda’ Rath Yatra scheduled to pass through the same stretch.

Around 5,000 police personnel have been deployed in and around the town to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.

The Hindu Jagarana Vedike, which has installed a Hindu Mahaganapati in T Narasipura for the first time, has decided to take out its procession through Link Road. The route had reportedly drawn objections from the police.

The Ganapati Shobha Yatra is scheduled to begin at around 4 pm, with organisers expecting between 5,000 and 10,000 participants. The route issue intensified following remarks attributed to T Narasipura Inspector Dhananjay regarding the use of the road. The organisers subsequently announced their decision to proceed through the disputed stretch.

Meanwhile, the Constitution Protection Struggle Committee is conducting a ‘Samvidhana Sauharda Rath Yatra’ from 11 am. The administration has granted permission for the yatra, which is also scheduled to pass through the route proposed for the Ganapati procession.

The simultaneous programmes have heightened security concerns, prompting the police and district administration to make elaborate arrangements to avoid any confrontation between participants.

Mysuru district Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi is overseeing the security arrangements, with about 5,000 personnel deployed across T Narasipura.

The issue has also attracted political attention. Former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha posted on social media that Ganapati processions were held even during British rule and questioned whether such processions should be stopped in independent India. He also appealed to people to gather in T Narasipura.

Several BJP leaders are expected to participate in the Ganapati Shobha Yatra.

With both yatras scheduled to pass through the same route and thousands of people expected to take part, T Narasipura has become a major focus of police and administrative attention on Friday.