The Thane Police have prohibited people from photographing partially dissolved or floating Ganesh and Gauri idols after immersion, as well as publishing or circulating such images, across the Thane Police Commissionerate area. The order, issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police Parag Manere of the commissionerate’s Special Branch, will remain in force from 15 September to 4 October 2026.
The restriction covers photographs taken after immersion when idols are seen floating on water or washed up along the edges of lakes and other immersion locations. It also applies to images of municipal workers collecting such idols, according to the order reported by Loksatta – Thane.
The police have cited the possibility that these images could hurt religious sentiments and disturb public peace and social harmony. The order states that action may be taken against violations under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The timing covers the multiple immersion dates scheduled during this year’s Ganesh festival. Ganesh and Gauri idols will be immersed on 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 25 September. Additional immersions for 13-day idols are scheduled for 26 September, while 21-day idols will be immersed on 4 October.
The order addresses a recurring post-immersion situation in which some idols do not dissolve completely. Partially dissolved idols may remain visible on the surface of water or reach the shore, where they can be photographed by members of the public. The direction also specifically refers to photographs taken while municipal staff are collecting the remaining idols.
By covering both the act of taking photographs and the publication or circulation of those photographs, the police order extends beyond immersion-site conduct to the subsequent sharing of visual material. The stated concern is that such circulation could create tension or affect public order during a period when immersion activities take place across several days.
The order will apply throughout the jurisdiction of the Thane Police Commissionerate until 4 October, the date scheduled for the immersion of 21-day Ganesh idols. The police have not announced any separate exception for news or documentation photography in the information reported by Loksatta – Thane.
