A video is being widely shared on social media in which police are seen snatching Lord Ganesha’s idol from a crowd. The video is also being shared with an image of the Ganesh idol in a police vehicle.
Many social media users claim that the viral media shows the Karnataka police ‘detaining’ a Ganesh idol.
A social media user shared the post and wrote, “For the first time in the history of India, Ganesh Ji was arrested by the police of a state. Yes, the Congress police of the Congress government of Karnataka arrested Ganesh ji. Why do Hindus vote for Congress to get insulted? Congress is not your party.” (Translated from Hindi)
SouthCheck found that the claim was misleading. We found that the video shows police detaining people who were protesting without police permission.
By searching with relevant keywords, we found a report by Live Hindustan on September 14, 2024. The report had an image of the Ganesh idol in a police vehicle. The report suggested that Vishva Hindu Parishad were protesting against the violence in Mandya in Karnataka on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi with a Ganesh idol. Since they did not get permission from the police, they were arrested and the Ganesh idol was taken away.
ABP Live uploaded the same image with a quote from the Bengaluru police.
According to the police, “Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad had come to protest with a Ganesh idol in Bengaluru’s Town Hall. Since the permission of the protest was not taken from the police, the police took the Ganesh idol away and detained the protestors.”
A journalist from Karnataka shared the video on his X account with a caption claiming that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad group was protesting against the violence in Mandya with a Ganesh idol. The police detained the protestors and took away the Ganesh idol.
Hence, we conclude that the viral claim is misleading.