Protest in Varanasi over Ganesha idol immersion issue

Tension gripped Varanasi on Monday as several protesters took to streets over the Ganesha idol immersion.

The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the protesters, who had set several vehicles on fire.

Earlier, the police had baton-charged some pilgrims when they were trying to immerse Ganesha idols in the Ganga.

Earlier in 2013, the Allahabad High Court had ordered a complete ban on the immersion of idols in Ganga and Yamuna to keep a check on the increasing pollution in the rivers.

However, it had relaxed the norms on the insistence of district authorities as changes in immersion routes could lead to law and order unrest.