The Hindu

Mysore, Apr 3: Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Kyatamaranahalli in Mysore city following clashes between two communities allegedly over a petty incident which escalated to full-fledged violence early on Thursday.

At least two persons including an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police were injured in the mob violence in Udayagiri Police station limits.

As the violence spread, more than a dozen houses were ransacked, 15 vehicles were set ablaze and places of worship were also damaged before additional police forces reached the spot to control the situation. Thirty-five people have been taken into custody, and community leaders and senior politicians have held peace meetings to diffuse the situation.

Conflicting versions

There were conflicting versions of how the violence erupted. While some attributed it to eve-teasing, senior police officials said the cause was an argument over a petty transaction near a telephone booth which snowballed into a verbal war of words, followed by a group clash.

Police citing eyewitnesses said two youth tried to insert a 50 paise coin instead of a Re. 1 coin into a public telephone, and the woman in charge of the booth took objection to it. Subsequently a complaint was lodged about the abrasive behaviour of the two youths following which they were picked up by the police and subjected to a medical examination as they were suspected to be under the influence of alcohol. However, they were later let off.

On the rampage

As news spread, a mob went on the rampage and targeted the house of former Mayor H.N. Srikantaiah. With no sign of the violence abating, reinforcements were sent to Kyatamaranahalli, which has since been cordoned off from the city. All entry and exit points to the locality have been blocked and the Rapid Action Force, 16 platoons of the KSRP, DAR, CAR and the Mounted Police have been deployed to prevent the outbreak of fresh violence.

The district in-charge Minister Shobha Karandlaje said an inquiry would be ordered into the violence.