Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (UM)
Madikeri, Nov 10: A leader of Kodagu Vishwa Hindu Parishad died and a youth was shot after clashes erupted near General Thimmayya circle over the celebration of Tipu Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan by the Karnataka state government.
It is learnt that a group led by Kodagu VHP and other organizations protested near General Thimmayya circle against the celebration of Tipu Jayanti on Tuesday November 10. Soon, another group in support of Tipu Jayanti gathered at the spot and clashes erupted between the two groups.
Both the groups pelted stones. Kodagu VHP organizing secretary Kuttappa (50) was seriously injured and admitted to hospital, where he breathed his last.
Soon after the VHP leader's death, unidentified persons shot a youth, reportedly identified as Sahil (25). He was seriously injured and brought to Mangaluru for treatment, sources said.
Five others and two cops were also injured in the clashes, sources said.
The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob. Section 144 has been clamped in the entire district and additional reinforcements sent to the area to bring the situation under control.
Police used tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge as hundreds of people gathered.
IGP B K Singh visited the spot.
Meanwhile, home minister G Parameshwar said additional reinforcements were being rushed to Madikeri from Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts and appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Kuttappa died of accidental fall: Police
The police said Kuttappa died of an accidental fall while running away to avoid being caned.
"The victim succumbed to injuries he sustained after accidentally falling from a retaining wall to the ground 15-20 feet below after he ran away from a trouble spot where a huge mob was caned to disperse to avoid a clash on the Tipu event," Kodagu district superintendent of police Vartika Katiyar told IANS.
Denying initial reports that Kuttappa died in a clash or stone-throwing between protestors and supporters, Katiyar said as almost everybody ran helter-skelter to avoid being caned, the victim too fled from the trouble spot and ran towards a compound wall of a hospital and jumped off without noticing it was on a hilltop.
"He (Kuttappa) did not die in stone pelting or clash as we dispersed the mob to avoid such an incident and prevent the situation going out of control," Katiyar clarified.
"The situation has been brought under control as we have imposed a ban on assembly of more than five people in the town under section 144 of the CrPC," Katiyar added.
Condoling Kuttappa's death, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaraimaiah told reporters in Bengaluru that there was a deliberate attempt to prevent the state government and the people from celebrating Tipu's birthday (jayanthi).
"Protests against jayanthi is intolerance. The Bihar assembly election results showed there is no place for intolerance in the country," Siddaramaiah said.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party sought a probe into the death of Kuttappa, even as the party boycotted Tipu jayanthi celebrations across the state.
With PTI and IANS Inputs