Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)
Bantwal, Nov 12: To register their protest against the recent turn of events at Madikeri during the last couple of days, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activists held a meeting here in front of the taluk office on Thursday evening. Some miscreants, supposedly egged on by some Hindu outfits, pelted stones at the meeting. This triggered a reaction, and the situation at BC Road turned tense.
This untoward incident which occurred all of a sudden gave rise to an air of apprehension at BC Road as well as Kaikamba. To ease the situation, the policemen resorted to lathi charge. Some shops at BC Road and Kaikamba were damaged in stone pelting incidents. Thereafter, shops and establishments at BC Road voluntarily downed their shutters. The situation continues to be tense, and an uneasy calm prevails in the region.
SDPI had planned the above protest to register the resentment of its activists against the unsavoury incidents which occurred in Kodagu during Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary celebrations. It is said that one of the leaders of SDPI, when addressing the meeting, severely castigated Rashriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and raised slogans against the Sangh Parivar outfits. In retaliation, miscreants started pelting stones at the meeting from outside the venue.
Realizing that the situation was turning for the worse, the police tried to convince the organizers to abandon the meeting. Verbal altercation ensued between the police personnel and organizers at this point.Stones began to rain from both the sides.As the protestors also resorted to pelting of stones, the policemen took action by way of lathi charge to control the situation.Police circle inspector, Belliappa, suffered minor injuries to his head on this occasion.
At BC Road, window glasses of two shops, Vijayalaxmi Steeel, and Sai Auto Consultants, were shattered. A bakery and shop dealing in crackers were damaged at Kaikamba, police said. In the stone pelting, several motor bikes were also damaged at Kaikamba, it is said, but no complaints were lodged with the police.
At around 7 pm on Thursday, a gang intercepted a motor bike rider at Brahmarakootlu.The police rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd. No other bitter incidents were reported thereafter.
Western range inspector general of police, Amrit Paul, district superintendent of police, Dr Sharanappa, assistant superintendent of police, Rahul Kumar, Puttur police circle inspector ,Mahesh Prasad, station house officer, Rakshit Gowda etc visited the spot and controlled the situation.
It is learnt that after the incident, the police have taken into custody a few persons and motor bikes. Vehicles were subjected to strict scrutiny. After lethal weapons were recovered from one of the vehicles during checking, the police intensified the checking.
The police said that SDPI, which organized the said meeting to condemn the death of a youth named Shahul during lathi large in Kodagu, had not obtained prior permission for the same. Taluk magistrate, Purandara Hegde, said that he had no information about the protest being held by SDPI in the evening.
Speaking to the media during his visit to the town on Thursday evening, inspector general of police, Amrit Paul, said that strict action would be taken against anyone seen to be disturbing peace. He said when activists of an organization were holding a meeting to discuss the issue of presenting memorandum, stones were thrown at the gathering. He reasoned that the police had to take to caning to control the situation.He confirmed that the situation is under control now, and that the police have been keeping a close vigil on the happenings. He added that no bandh call has been given for November 13, and that the police will be taking necessary steps regarding the road blockade call given for Friday. He also warned that people using social websites to spread rumours and hatred and try to disrupt peace in the society would be dealt with firmly.