Maharashtra: Ganesh Pandal QR Code Linked to Explicit Videos, 3 Detained in Washim
Police in Maharashtra’s Washim district have taken three young men into custody for allegedly placing a QR code scanner that directed users to p*ornographic content near the feet of a Ganesh idol in a public festival pandal.
Police in Maharashtra’s Washim have detained three young men after a QR code placed near a Ganesh idol at a local pandal was found redirecting users to a Telegram group containing links to P*orn videos. The incident was reported at the Jai Bhawani Ganesh Utsav Mandal in the Kale File area of Washim city, India Today reported.
Police said the three men, aged between 19 and 20, were identified with the help of CCTV footage. They have been taken into police custody while investigators probe the motive behind placing the QR code and whether similar codes were installed at other locations. Ganeshotsav 2026: Minor Short Circuit at Lalbaugcha Raja Pandal, Attended Promptly by Officials.
QR Code Found Near Ganesh Idol
According to police, members of the Ganesh festival committee noticed the QR code near the feet of the idol on September 18. When committee members scanned it, they were redirected to a Telegram group containing links to P*orn videos. The matter was subsequently reported to senior members of the mandal, who also verified the content before approaching Washim City Police. A police team visited the pandal and examined CCTV recordings from the surrounding area.
CCTV Helps Identify Three Men
Police said CCTV footage from September 17 showed three men arriving near the pandal on two motorcycles at around 11 pm. One of them allegedly approached the idol and placed the QR code near its feet. Another person was later seen checking the code before the men left the area on their motorcycles. Ganesh Visarjan 2026: BMC Guidelines, Key Rules for Mandals and Devotees.
Following a complaint by the mandal president against unidentified persons, investigators examined additional CCTV footage and identified the three suspects. India Today identified them as Tanmay Mudhal, Yugandar Afune and Subodh.
Police Probe Money-Making Motive
Washim police said the three men told investigators that the QR codes were placed as a way to earn money. According to SDPO Rameshwar Pawar, the men allegedly received between Rs 10 and Rs 15 for each scan. Police said users scanning the code were directed to a Telegram group containing links to P*orn videos. The investigation is now focused on understanding how the payment arrangement worked and where the QR codes were obtained.
Similar QR Codes Reportedly Placed Elsewhere
During questioning, the three men allegedly told police that similar QR codes had been placed outside a Hanuman temple and a college in Washim city. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from those locations to verify the claims and determine whether the same individuals were involved. Police are also checking whether additional QR codes were placed at other public or religious sites.
Court Grants Police Custody
Washim City Police registered a case against the three men and produced them before a court. The court granted police custody until Monday evening, according to the report. The investigation remains underway, with police examining the source of the QR codes, the alleged payment mechanism and the extent of their use across the city.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 21, 2026 08:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
