Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Pics: Pareekshith Shet
Udupi, Feb 27: Resuming their protest against assault on the driver of a line sales vehicle by a few young men at Mudarangady near Padubidri in the district, activists of Hindu Jagran Vedike held protest again in front of Padubidri police station on Sunday, Februaury 26.
It is said that angered by the fact that the driver of a line sales vehicle had overtaken two motor bikes in an aggressive manner, the bikers had overtaken the truck, intercepted it, and badly beaten up its driver, Bhaskar (35), and salesman, Shankar (38) on Saturday February 25.
The incident soon acquired communal hue and activists of Hindu Jagran Vedike had mobbed Padubidri police station within a short while thereafter at around 7 pm, demanding arrest of the accused. The injured were shifted to the district hospital at Ajjarkad here by the activists of the Hindu organization. The protest went late into the night as the protesters stood their ground.
The injured driver had named Harris (19) from Mudarangady, Salam, and two others in his complaint. Leaders like Rajesh Pai, who happens to be the convener of Palimaru unit of the Vedike, Vinod Adve, Kiran Rao, Abhinandan etc had urged the police personnel to arrest the accused immediately. Additional superintendent of polcie, Vishnuvardhan, had succeeded in convincing the activists to withdraw stir after long-drawn discussions which continued till midnight on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, convener of district HIndu Mahasabha, Ambika Nayak, district president of the Vedike, Prashant Nayak, convener of Hindu outfit from Kaup, Sudheer, and several other Hindu activists gathered in front of Padubidri station again demanding action. As the police action was delayed till afternoon, they started blocking movement of vehicles on national highway 66. After the police said in the afternoon and they have arrested main accused, Harris, and promised to produce him before the magistrate, the activists appeared to have calmed down.
Padubidri police, who have identified 16 communally sensitive areas within the station limits, have deployed police contingents including district reserve police contingent, four inspectors, and a deputy superintendent of police to manage the situation. Additional superintendent of police, Vishnuvardhan, said that action will be taken against anyone found violating law.
The activists who dispersed from in front of the police station, moved towards Mudanrangady in about 50 two-wheelers. Even as the police personnel stopped them, they surged ahead and damaged the decorative light of the Mudarangady mosque located on its gate apart from hitting the vehicle of a police officer with a stick. When the group started to toss bottles and stones, policemen arrested 16 Hindu activists from Yellur, Mudarangady, Nandikur and Palimaru. The police also took into possession 11 two-wheelers and some cellphones which the activists had left behind when dispersing.
Nothing untoward happened since Sunday afternoon. Still, additional police forces from neighbouring districts are coming to assist the local forces in case of any unexpected eventuality, said Padubidri station house officer, Satish.
MLA,Vinay Kumar Sorake, block Congress president, Navinchandra J Shtty, and member of Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Naveen Suvarna, visited the mosque at Mudarangady that was damaged by miscreants.