Amid beating of drums, the first phase of immersion of Vinayaka idols took place in Coimbatore on Saturday peacefully.
In Coimbatore city, 159 idols were immersed at three waterbodies Kuniyamuthur tank, Kurichi tank and Singanallur tank. Devotees took the idols in procession to the three tanks as police cleared the traffic on the procession routes.
Police Commissioner K. Periaiah, who inspected the places of immersion, said that effective traffic diversions and law and order arrangements were made to facilitate the ceremony take place peacefully in city limits.
In Coimbatore rural, 1,136 idols out of the 1,468 installed in its limits were immersed in various tanks on Saturday. Devotees took the idols to water bodies in 26 processions. The remaining idols will be immersed in the coming days.
On Monday, the idols were installed by seven Hindu organisations and a political party will be immersed in Muthannankulam in Coimbatore city limits.
A release issued by the police said that processions will start from Venkatakrishna Road (10 a.m.), Raja Street (10.30 a.m.), Sivananda Colony (12 p.m.), Theppakkulam Ground (1 p.m.) Shastri Ground, Vysial Street (2 p.m.), Big Bazaar Street and Light House Road (2.30 p.m.) to Muthannankulam. Traffic regulations are effective on these routes on Monday.
In Udhagamandalam
As many as 84 idols were immersed in Kamarajar Dam near the main bus stand here on Saturday. The idols installed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Shiv Sena were brought to Botanical Garden from Kanthal area.
From there, the idols were taken out in a rally to Kamarajar Dam and immersed. The rally went through Commercial Road, Upper Bazaar, Main Bazaar before reaching the Udhagamandalam main bus stand.
Heavy police bandhobust were given to the rally. No untoward incidents were reported.
As many as 50 idols installed in Udhagamandalam city and Kanthal area by the Hindu Munnani will be immersed on Sunday.