Daijiworld Media Network - Chikmagalur (SP)

Chikmagalur, Aug 5: After a few idols installed under a holy fig tree on Basavanahalli Main Road here were desecrated on Monday August 3, a few youths staged protest and forced shops and other establishments to down their shutters. This gave rise to tensions in the town.  The Bajrang Dal held a symbolic protest and demanded for the arrest of the culprits. The policemen intervened in time and saved the situation from going out of control.

On Tuesday August 4 morning, a prayer centre located on Kempanahalli Road was found to have been desecrated. The policemen immediately visited the spot along with the leaders of the particular community and arranged for the purification of the site. Hundreds of youth immediately congregated at the spot, took out a bike rally, raised slogans and demanded for the arrest of the miscreants.  Even after the district superintendent of police M N Nagaraj visited the youths and promised them to convene a peace meeting and take remedial steps, the situation failed to improve. Then, a few among them were taken to the prayer centre and were urged to remain there. The situation eased thereafter.

The deputy commissioner R Nrayanaswami also visited the spot and promised to take steps against those involved with the incidents. The district administration would be holding a peace rally in the town on August 6, taking the incidents in all seriousness. The policemen have expressed the confidence of catching hold of the miscreants within a week. A peace meeting was held on Tuesday under the leadership of deputy commissioner Narayanaswami and SP Nagaraj.

The meeting expressed the opinion that the failure of the district administration in taking minor incidents seriously, gave rise to this situation. The administration was asked to sternly deal with the culprits and not to wilt under any kind of pressures.

The BJP said that the incidents have been a part of a conspiracy aimed at defaming the government. The district Congress has criticized the policemen for their failure to maintain law and order.