Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Oct 28: A minor incident in which the owner of a barber shop was advised to close down his shop because it was Tuesday, snowballed into a major confrontation between two religious groups at Nelyady in the taluk. The incident occurred on Tuesday October 27.

A local named Uday, and advocate, Vinod, approached a salon, which was found to be operating on Tuesday too. As per age-old custom, barber shops in this part are closed for weekly holidayu on Tuesdays. These two asked those inside the shop to close the shop.

Reportedly, Sadiq, Siddique, Shakir, Shakeel, and others, who were inside the shop, chased them with sharp weapons in their hands, till Ganesh Store a little distance away, and attacked the duo. Angered by this attack, activists of Hindu outfits gathered at the spot. Enraged at this development, Muslims too gathered near the mosque. Situation turned tense in Nelyady town as a result.

Police personnel from Nelyady, supported by the personnel of Uppinangady station patrolled the town and saw that no untoward incidents occurred. Activists of Hindu organizations, who again took to street demanding the arrest of the attackers, were holding discussions with the police, when activists of Muslim organizations reached the spot. Following this, stones were pelted, and people were chased with swords on the street.

The police personnel wielded their batons at both the warring factions and controlled the situation. Additional police contingents were deployed at Nelyady. The situation is tense there but under control.