Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, May 28: The policemen have been keeping a strict vigil to ensure that the incident in which the front portion of a temple here was painted green recently, does not give rise to more disturbances. However, the environment in the town turned tense on Thursday May 27, after stones were pelted at a mosque located in Nullippady on the night of Wednesday May 26, resulting in the shattering of the windows and glass panes.

To protest against this incident, people of a community gathered near the old bus stand here on Thursday morning. The policemen rushed the spot in sufficient numbers and wielded batons to scatter them. The people then went through the roads and forced closure of shops, and pelted stones at a few shops when the owners refused to oblige. The shops of Jagadish, a councillor, and Vidyakar Mallya, a merchant having shop on Nayak’s Road, were damaged in stone pelting incidents.

The policemen immediately arranged for tight vigil through additional reinforcements and also by pressing into service vehicles fitted with water jets to control the situation. A few were taken into custody. The town, which witnessed brisk activities in the early hours, wore a deserted look a couple of hours later, as information spread.

The fact that the policemen had not permitted the Muslim organizations to hold a protest march in the town two days back had given rise to flared up tempers. The policemen had stopped the procession, saying that no prior permission was obtained for the same. The protest march was organized by groups which alleged that a few prayer centres were stoned during the protest programme of Vishwa Hindu Parishat here on May 21. The stone pelting incident has angered the protestors further.