Daijiworld Media Network - Kalaburagi (SP)

Kalaburagi, Jul 6: In an incident which occurred at Aland town in the district on Tuesday July 5, a youth died during the period the police used batons to disperse a crowd that was protesting against a communally sensitive incident.

Dayanand Ashok Wale (22) died in the incident.

Alleging that members of another community had defaced photographs of prayer centres of their community and posted distorted pictures on Facebook, the other community members held a protest in front of the police station. The police had pacified the crowd with the assurance of taking action, after which the protesters returned.

Later, some of the people were questioned by the police, which angered others. Thereafter, verbal altercations, friction and stone pelting occurred between warring communities. A team led by district superintendent of police, Shashikumar, rushed to the town and brought the situation under control. A close vigil is being kept on the situation now.

When the police tried to ease the situation by pacifying the crowds exchanging heated words, they did not succeed. Thereafter they caned the crowd. At this, the crowd pelted stones at each other, injuring some.

It is said that Dayanand Wale, who was at the spot when trouble broke out, turned panicky and ran towards his home. After reaching home, he collapsed and was found to have died, locals said. During the trouble, shops and establishments in Aland were closed, and buses had suspended operations for nearly five hours.

Superintendent of police, Shashikumar, said that the police have identified some of the trouble-mongers and investigations are being held on the basis of video footage.