Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady

Beltangady, Jan 23: An incident of stone-pelting was reported here on Monday January 23 during the annual festival at Mugeradka in Mogru village here.

The trouble began when some people took to task two youths among the crowd for allegedly trying to steal chains from women, and handed them over to the Mugeradka daivasthana managing committee members. But the action evoked protest from some people who sided with the youths, claiming that they were innocent, and demanded their release.

The quarrel snowballed into a big fight and the police had to intervene and resort to lathi charge. The mob started pelting stones at the police vehicles, damaging four of them and injuring three persons.

The injured have been admitted to hospital. The incident is also said to have taken a communal flavour, with shops belonging to persons of one community being damaged by the other. However, the police were able to bring the situation under control.