Hyderabad Ganesh Immersion: Over 51,000 Idols Immersed as Processions Continue Peacefully

Ganesh idol immersion proceedings continued peacefully across Hyderabad on Saturday, with more than 51,000 idols immersed so far under the Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate, according to Malkajgiri Commissioner Sumathi, IPS. Despite the massive turnout of devotees and the movement of large processions across the city, police said the celebrations remained largely incident-free.

The immersion processions moved slowly towards Hussain Sagar Lake and other designated immersion points as thousands of devotees gathered along major routes. Police and traffic personnel were deployed at key roads, junctions and immersion locations to manage crowds and regulate vehicle movement. Sumathi said around 3,567 idols had been immersed in lakes within the Malkajgiri Commissionerate, while the overall number of idols immersed since the beginning of the festival had reached approximately 51,000. She added that another 1,000 idols could be immersed by Sunday morning as the remaining processions continued to move through the city.

Sumathi said the Balapur procession reached the centralised section at around 5:15 am, while the leading part of the main procession entered the Hyderabad zone at approximately 7 am. Several water bodies in the Malkajgiri area, including Saroornagar Lake, Shamirpet Lake and Safilguda Lake, were being used for the immersion ceremonies.

The large-scale arrangements involved more than 7,000 police personnel, including specialised units and additional forces deployed from outside the commissionerate. The personnel were assigned to maintain law and order, control traffic and assist with crowd management along the procession routes. Sumathi said the coordinated deployment helped authorities manage the celebrations without major incidents. Police also appealed to devotees and organisers to avoid DJs and keep sound levels under control during the processions. Sumathi said most groups had cooperated with the request, helping keep noise levels comparatively low across the city, apart from a few isolated instances.

Hyderabad DG and Commissioner of Police VC Sajjanar, IPS, appealed to residents to cooperate with police and traffic authorities as immersion activities continued. In a video message shared on social media, Sajjanar said the Ganesh immersion procession was continuing on a large scale and thanked citizens for helping ensure that the celebrations remained peaceful. According to Sajjanar, large numbers of devotees had gathered around Tank Bund, NTR Marg, Necklace Road, Liberty, Moazzam Jahi Market and nearby areas. The heavy crowds had slowed regular vehicle movement and resulted in delays to the immersion processions. He said the immersion activity was expected to continue until the afternoon, while police and traffic personnel were working to complete the processions as efficiently as possible.

Traffic restrictions remained in force on several major roads in the immersion zones. Police specifically advised commuters to avoid areas around Tank Bund, Necklace Road, NTR Marg, PV Statue and Indira Gandhi Rotary, where regular vehicle movement was restricted. Residents were encouraged to postpone non-essential travel through these areas or use alternative routes to avoid getting caught in congestion.

Ganesh Visarjan is being observed across India from Friday, September 25, coinciding with Anant Chaturdashi and marking the conclusion of the 10-day Ganeshotsav celebrations. Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 began on September 14, with devotees installing idols in homes and public venues and participating in prayers, cultural programmes and community celebrations.

The festival traditionally concludes with devotees carrying Ganesha idols in processions before immersing them in designated water bodies. In Hyderabad, the scale of the celebrations has required extensive coordination between police, traffic officials, municipal authorities, festival organisers and the public to manage the large crowds and ensure that the immersion ceremonies proceed smoothly.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.