Mumbai: Harshada Borade, a 26-year-old student and social activist, has lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner regarding police harassment and the search of her home—conducted without any summons or notice—following a kite-flying event in Bandra, Mumbai, held on September 15 to express solidarity with the children of Palestine and Gaza. She has demanded action against the erring officers and personnel and submitted supporting evidence with her complaint. Police entered the student’s home in Vakola at 5:00 PM and conducted a search operation that lasted until 2:45 AM. In her complaint, Harshada stated that the police possessed no warrant for the search and conducted a private panchnama (record of proceedings), which is entirely illegal. She explained that she is a student at Mumbai University and had organized the kite-flying event to show solidarity with Palestinian children; subsequently, on September 17, the police arrived at her home, searched the premises, and harassed her, her friends, and other students. The police should have issued a legal notice prior to the search—a right held by every citizen—but failed to do so. The police action taken in response to the kite-flying event violates Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression. Harshada has demanded legal action against the personnel from the Bandra and Vakola police stations and called for a transparent inquiry into the matter. She has urged that the entire incident be investigated by the Cyber ​​Cell under the supervision of senior officers and that action be taken against any police personnel found at fault.

Preparations are complete at 67 natural immersion sites, including Girgaon Chowpatty, Juhu Chowpatty, Powai Lake, and the beaches at Worli and Dadar.

BMC’s ‘One Tree, One Ganpati’ initiative promotes tree plantation and environmental conservation.
A massive deployment of 25,000 BMC officers and staff has been arranged at immersion sites.
Resources deployed include 1,194 steel platforms, 23 German rafts (pontoon-style floats), 34 cranes, 85 ambulances, and 10 motorboats.

Facilities established include 498 Nirmalya (ritual offering/waste) collection bins, 326 Nirmalya dumpers, 261 reception centers, 228 control rooms, and 75 observation towers; BMC appeals for Ganpati idol immersion to take place only in artificial lakes.

The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration is fully prepared to facilitate an eco-friendly celebration of Maharashtra’s state festival, Ganesh Utsav, including comprehensive arrangements for immersion processions. In accordance with High Court directives, the BMC has constructed over 383 artificial lakes this year for the immersion of idols up to six feet in height. Additionally, various facilities have been provided at 67 natural sites for the immersion of idols taller than six feet. With the aim of widely disseminating the message of environmental conservation among the public, the ‘One Ganpati, One Tree’ initiative—conceptualized by Mayor Ritu Tawde—has been launched this year. The BMC has pledged to plant a number of trees equal to the total number of Ganesh idols immersed in Mumbai. Under this initiative, the festival—spanning the period from Lord Ganesh’s arrival to the immersion—will be aligned with environmental conservation efforts. Furthermore, comprehensive arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the idol immersion ceremony, involving a workforce of over 25,000 officers and employees.

This year, the Ganesh Utsav festival began on September 14, 2026. Under the guidance of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakne, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed preparations across the city, particularly at immersion sites. Tasks such as clearing obstacles along immersion routes, repairing potholes and drainage covers, and pruning trees have been finalized. Various facilities and services have been provided at seashores and at natural and artificial immersion sites—including steel plates, rafts, cranes, ambulances, lifeguards, collection bins for ‘Nirmalya’ (post-worship floral and other offerings), control rooms, observation towers, lighting arrangements, temporary toilets, and necessary manpower.

One Ganpati; One Tree
The Ganpati festival is a celebration of devotion, faith, and social harmony. With the aim of spreading the message of environmental conservation widely among the public during this festival, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has pledged to plant trees equal in number to the Ganesh idols immersed this year. The ‘One Ganpati – One Tree’ initiative was conceived by Mayor Ritu Tawde. The initiative seeks to integrate environmental conservation into the festival—spanning the period from Lord Ganesh’s arrival to his immersion—by planting a tree for every immersed idol, thereby contributing to a greener future for Mumbai. Through the Ganesh Utsav festival, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has resolved to make Mumbai greener, more beautiful, and eco-friendly through public participation, while also aiming to raise awareness about tree plantation, tree preservation, and environmental conservation.
For the immersion of Lord Ganesh idols this year, 67 natural immersion sites (comprising 44 beaches/jetties and 23 natural lakes) and 383 artificial immersion sites have been made available. The following arrangements have been made at these locations: 1,194 steel plates, 23 German rafts, 34 cranes, 85 ambulances, 10 motorboats, 498 ‘Nirmalya’ (ritual offering) collection vessels, 326 ‘Nirmalya’ dumpers, 261 reception centers, 228 control rooms, 75 observation towers, 1,132 lifeguards, 6,052 floodlights/searchlights, and 489 temporary toilets. Furthermore, approximately 25,000 Municipal Corporation personnel and various volunteer organizations will be deployed on duty.
Immersion of idols shorter than six feet in artificial lakes
In accordance with the High Court’s directives dated August 20, 2026, compliance with the order dated July 24, 2025, is mandatory until a final decision is reached on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Therefore, it is mandatory to immerse Lord Ganesha idols up to 6 feet in height in artificial lakes, and the Municipal Corporation has made the necessary arrangements for this. An appropriate public awareness campaign regarding this initiative has also been conducted. Over 383 artificial ponds at 278 locations in Mumbai
To promote an eco-friendly ‘Ganesh Utsav’ and encourage the immersion of idols in artificial ponds, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set up over 383 artificial ponds across 278 locations. Additionally, the municipal administration will provide necessary facilities at 67 natural immersion sites for idols taller than 6 feet. 12 Artificial Ponds at Swarajya Bhumi (Girgaon Chowpatty)
Swarajya Bhumi—commonly known as ‘Girgaon Chowpatty’—is the hub for the largest number of Ganesh idol immersions in Mumbai. Idols from public mandals and households across the city are brought here for immersion (jal pravah).

A 65-year-old man, imprisoned for the past fifteen years on terrorism charges, has yet to be released despite being granted bail by the Bombay High Court, as the court had ordered him to present a local resident as a surety. The High Court had granted bail to the accused, Kafeel Ahmed, last year, citing the prolonged incarceration and the delay in the trial proceedings. A division bench comprising Justice A.S. Gadkari and Justice R.R. Bhonsale had ordered his release subject to the condition of providing a local surety. Advocate Mubeen Solkar had represented Kafeel Ahmed in the High Court through the Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra (Arshad Madani faction). As the accused hails from Bihar and has no one in Maharashtra to stand as surety for him, Advocate Mateen Shaikh filed an application today—under the instructions of Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra President Maulana Halimullah Qasmi—seeking a modification of the bail condition. Last week, the accused’s son had met Maulana Halimullah Qasmi to request his elderly father’s release from prison, following which the petition was filed in the Bombay High Court. A case against the accused, Kafeel Ahmed, is also pending in Delhi, where he has already been granted bail; the Delhi court had permitted him to present a surety from any state. A petition filed by Advocate Mateen Shaikh states that despite the High Court granting bail a year ago, the accused remains incarcerated because he has been unable to fulfill the court’s requirement for a local surety; as he hails from Bihar, he has no acquaintances in Maharashtra who could stand surety for him. The petition further argues that, just as the Delhi court allowed the accused to present a surety from outside the state, the Bombay High Court should grant similar relief to facilitate the release of the accused, who has been imprisoned for fifteen years. A hearing on Kafeel Ahmed’s petition is expected to take place sometime next week.

It is pertinent to note that Kafeel Ahmed is accused of involvement—alongside other co-accused—in the 13/7 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, which occurred at three different locations in the city. Charges were framed against Kafeel Ahmed and the other eleven accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)—including Sections 302, 307, 326, 325, 324, 379, 109, and 120-B—as well as under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra Legal Aid Committee is providing legal assistance to the accused facing charges in this case: Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed, Nadeem Akhtar Ashfaq Shaikh, Haroon Abdul Rashid Naik, Kafeel Ahmed Mohammad Ayub Ansari, Asadullah Akhtar Javed Akhtar (alias ‘Haddi’), Syed Ismail Afaq Alim Lanka, Saddam Hussain Feroz Khan, and Zain-ul-Abideen Abdul Razzaq. Advocates Abdul Wahab Khan, Sharif Shaikh, Hasnain Qazi, and others are appearing in the Sessions Court to represent the accused.