Mahisha Dasara: City police imposes ban orders around Mahishasura’s statue atop Chamundi Hills

The Mysuru City police have imposed prohibitory orders within a radius of 200 metres from the statue of Mahishasura atop Chamundi Hills from midnight of October 9 till 6 a.m. of October 11.

The imposition of prohibitory orders by City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar is expected to thwart the plans of Mahisha Mandalotsava Organising Committee’s plans to honour Mahishasura as a benevolent ruler by garlanding his statue atop Chamundi Hills on October 10.

The Mahisha Mandalotsava had been planned a day before the start of Dasara festival on October 11, which attracts a large number of devotees to Chamundi Hills.

The prohibitory orders imposed by the City police under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 in a radius of 200-metre will place restrictions on gathering of people.

Issuing the order dated October 8, Ms. Seema Latkar cited Mahisha Dasara Celebration Committee president Purushotham’s representation seeking co-operation for garlanding the statue of Mahishasura atop Chamundi Hill at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a programme to garland the statue of B.R. Ambedkar in Town Hall at 11 a.m. the same day along with a stage programme.

The order also points to information gathered from intelligence personnel indicating the possibility of certain organisations staging protests against the celebration of Mahisha Dasara.

In view of the possibility of deterioration of law and order with supporters and opponents of the event assembling from different directions, the authorities had sought prohibitory orders. 

“If any organisation or member of the public violates this order or attempts to conduct meetings, gatherings, processions, protests or rallies, the assembly of people concerned will be treated as an unlawful assembly, and legal action will be initiated for violation of the order,” Ms. Seema Latkar said in the order.