Bengaluru, May 3 (IANS): Social unrest and tense situation prevailing in Karnataka marred the celebrations of Eid, Basava Jayanthi and Akshay Tritiya on Tuesday.

Though the festivals are being celebrated with fervour and grandeur, police is on high alert to prevent any untoward incidents in the state.

Security has been beefed up in capital Bengaluru, Shivamogga district where a Bajrang Dal activist was killed and prohibitory orders were clamped for more than eight days and Hubballi city, which witnessed large scale violence following the surface of an objectionable post.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah began his programme in Bengaluru by garlanding the statue of Lord Basaveshwar to mark the occasion of Basava Jayanthi festival.

Lakhs of people offered prayers at mosques on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr across the state.

Similarly, lakhs of Hindus queued up before jewellery shops to make gold purchases as buying gold is considered auspicious on Akshay Tritiya.

With Hindu organisations giving out an open call to make gold purchases only from Hindu jewellers, the festivities have taken communal colour for the first time in the history of state.

Several people defying the call by Hindutva forces, have queued up before all jewellery shops to make their purchases.