Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Jan 5: A vehicular jatha, which was inaugurated at Subrahmanya on Wednesday January 4 morning, reached Uppinangady near here in the evening. An alleged remark made by a speaker at the concluding meeting of the jatha there ignited passions,  and gave rise to anxious moments for the locals and the policemen.

The jatha, flagged off from Subrahmanya in the morning, was aimed against religious conversion, Love Jihad, cow slaughter, corruption, and police brutality against Hindu leaders. The jatha, which stopped frequently en route to Uppinangady for holding meetings frequently, reached here in the evening.   When the meeting organized by Dharma Raksha Samiti at Uppinangady was in progress, activists of some Muslim organizations congregated near the dais and raised slogans, alleging that in his address, a person had made derogatory reference about Muslim community. Activists of Hindu organizations too retaliated by raising slogans, giving rise to tense moments.

In his valedictory address, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader, N Seetaram, spoke about police atrocities in Sullia, Love Jihad, etc. Some Muslim youth, claiming that the speaker had berated their religion, shouted slogans, and de,amded the speaker to to put an end to his address.  By the time the meeting ended, a large number of people from both the religions had menacingly gathered on either side of the bus stand. Angry Muslim youth held dharna at bus stand to obstruct the vehicular jatha from returning.

There were only a handful of policemen at the spot, as most of the police force had been deputed to Savanur to provide security to a programme in which Chief Minister was scheduled to attend. Sub-inspector, G T Dasari, was seen warning the people in his microphone to disperse. The policemen, who faced some tense moments initially, succeeded at last in dispersing both the crowds.

After the disturbance, a Karnataka State Reserve Police contingent was rushed to Uppinangady to monitor law and order situation. Dakshina Kannada district superintednent of police, Abhishek Goyal, reached there and camped in Uppinangady for the night.