By IANS,

Hyderabad : The death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash has impacted Ganesh immersion procession here Thursday with the organisers concluding the 10-day festival with simplicity.

The usual fanfare and festivities associated with the procession were missing and the people's turnout was also thin.

The participants in the procession were seen carrying the idols for immersion sans music, drum beats and dancing. This followed the decision of Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti to conduct the immersions with simplicity.

Every year, the procession brings the city to a grinding halt as over 10,000 big idols are wheeled out atop trucks, vans or other open-top vehicles for immersions in Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city.

Police have made massive security arrangements for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the procession. As many as 26,000 policemen were deployed as part of the security arrangements.