Policeman, volunteer scuffle at Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja

An officer from the Byculla Police Station, apparently assaulted a volunteer, at the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal in Lalbaug, Parel

The Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati idol. Pic Courtesy/ANI/Twitter

An officer from the Byculla Police Station, apparently assaulted a volunteer, at the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal in Lalbaug, Parel. The incident is said to have occurred after PSI Satyavan Pawar hit a volunteer after being asked to not refuse to allow a female reporter from entering the pandal.

The mandal volunteers say that after this, he even threatened to shut the pandal down and began pushing the volunteers and even slapped one, this action is believed to have gotten captured in the CCTV cameras present inside the venue.

However, volunteers at the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal tell a different story. According to them, Pawar, who was standing at the entrance was disruptive and rude. He kept pushing the devotees around and even touched women, who went past him. The mandal's members claim that he committed assault without any provocation. They are demanding appropriate action against the officer.

Last year in September, a video footage showing three women constables thrashing a young woman near the VIP gate of Lalbaugcha Raja went viral. The 20-year-old recounted the harrowing experience with mid-day.

In September 2014, a Pune-based man was allegedly pushed and beaten by volunteers at Lalbaugcha Raja because he was standing and praying near the Ganesh idol.

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