# Mumbai Police Issue Notice to MNS Leader Amid Row Over Chhath Puja Immersion

> Mumbai Police have served a notice under BNSS Section 168 to MNS leader Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde following his demand to prohibit Chhath Puja immersion at Girgaon Chowpatty and Banganga Tank.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Maharashtra · **Published:** 2026-11-14 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/maharashtra/chhatha-puja-samagri-visarjana-vivada-men-mns-neta-ko-mumbai-police-ka-kara-notisa-59623 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Chhath Puja, MNS, Mumbai Police, Girgaon Chowpatty, Banganga Tank, Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde, BMC, Maharashtra Politics

A political dispute has emerged in Mumbai over Chhath Puja rituals and the immersion of religious offerings at prominent water bodies. Following demands by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Malabar Hill division chief Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde to bar the immersion of worship materials at Girgaon Chowpatty and Banganga Tank, Malabar Hill Police initiated swift preventive action. The authorities issued an official notice to the party functionary under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, warning against disruptions to public peace.

## High Court Directives and Environmental Concerns
The notice issued by Malabar Hill Police Station invokes Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Citing orders delivered by the Bombay High Court, law enforcement emphasized that religious rituals and Chhath Puja ceremonies are strictly impermissible within the Banganga Tank premises. The judiciary had issued these directions specifically to safeguard the historical water body against ecological pollution arising from ritualistic waste, prompting the police to strictly enforce the mandate on the ground.

## Demands for Parity with Ganeshotsav and Navratri Restrictions
On 13 November, Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde submitted a formal letter to both Mumbai Police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. His representation argued that the rigorous regulations and prohibitions applied to idol immersions during major festivals like Ganeshotsav and Navratri should equally extend to Chhath Puja. He insisted that no religious items or materials should be discarded into the waters of Girgaon Chowpatty or Banganga Tank, urging civic authorities to erect robust iron barricades along the perimeters and deploy stringent security arrangements.

## Civic Administration Clarifications During Ward Meeting
According to statements from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, civic officials had already clarified the regulatory position during a meeting held on 12 November at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation D Ward office. During that interaction, administrative authorities confirmed that no official permissions had been granted to conduct Chhath Puja festivities at either Girgaon Chowpatty or Banganga Tank. This official position formed the core of the political outfit's objection against any public gatherings or immersion activities at these locations.

## Police Issue Warning Against Public Disruption
In their formal communication to Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde, the police underlined the imperative to preserve public order across South Mumbai. The notice explicitly stated that unauthorized protests, sit-ins, rallies, processions, slogan shouting, and road blockades remain strictly prohibited across Malabar Hill and neighboring sectors. Prohibitory orders banning assemblies of five or more individuals also remain active in these jurisdictions. Authorities cautioned that any attempt to breach these stipulations or instigate unrest would invite immediate and stringent legal prosecution.

## What this means for you
This administrative development clarifies crucial regulations regarding festival rituals, public assembly, and local movement across South Mumbai.

- **In Mumbai:** Immersion of ritual materials remains strictly forbidden at Girgaon Chowpatty and Banganga Tank. Devotees intending to offer prayers must verify permitted alternative venues or designated artificial ponds approved by the municipal corporation.
- **Across Maharashtra:** Prohibitory orders remain enforced across the Malabar Hill and South Mumbai jurisdiction, barring unauthorized rallies and sit-ins. Unlawful gatherings of five or more people will prompt direct legal action by the police.
- **For Devotees:** Religious ceremonies inside the historic Banganga Tank precinct remain prohibited pursuant to Bombay High Court rulings. Worshippers must ensure rituals are performed only at officially sanctioned sites.
- **For Local Residents:** Enhanced barricading and preventive security near coastal pockets and water reservoirs may lead to brief traffic diversions. Commuters in the Malabar Hill vicinity should keep abreast of local police guidelines.

## Why this happened
The situation escalated when an MNS representative sought an outright prohibition on ritual immersions citing environmental standards, prompting police intervention to avert potential civic tensions.

- **Demand for Immersion Bans:** On 13 November, MNS division president Dinesh Dnyaneshwar Punde formally petitioned authorities to prohibit puja discards at Girgaon Chowpatty and Banganga Tank, arguing that festive pollution rules should apply uniformly as done during Ganeshotsav.
- **Judicial Mandate and Civic Clarification:** The Bombay High Court previously outlawed religious rituals at the heritage Banganga Tank to curb aquatic pollution. Furthermore, the BMC D Ward administration confirmed on 12 November that no clearance had been granted for Chhath celebrations at these specific spots.
- **Preventive Law Enforcement:** Malabar Hill Police initiated proceedings under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to preempt unauthorized demonstrations, public obstruction, or political unrest across South Mumbai.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why did Mumbai Police serve a notice to MNS leader Dinesh Punde?
The notice was issued to maintain public peace after the leader demanded an outright ban on Chhath Puja immersion at Girgaon Chowpatty and Banganga Tank.

### 2. Under which provision was the police notice issued?
Malabar Hill Police Station issued the directive under Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

### 3. Is Chhath Puja allowed at the Banganga Tank?
No, Bombay High Court directives prohibit Chhath Puja or any religious rituals at the Banganga Tank premises to prevent environmental pollution.

### 4. What did the BMC clarify regarding Girgaon Chowpatty?
During a meeting on 12 November at the D Ward office, civic officials confirmed that no permissions were granted for Chhath Puja at Girgaon Chowpatty or Banganga Tank.

### 5. What public assembly curbs are in place in South Mumbai?
Authorities have prohibited unauthorized protests, rallies, slogan shouting, road blockades, and gatherings of five or more people in the sector.

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