Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi (SP)

Belagavi, Nov 2: After friction broke out between groups of young men belonging to different communities during the Rajyotsava procession taken out in the city on the evening of Wednesday November 1, a police constable and a few others sustained stab injuries, stones were pelted, and vehicles were damaged.

Over five people including a police constable were injured in the disturbances. A few were also injured in stone pelting incident. Several stand admitted into the district hospital for treatment of injuruies. Over ten vehicles including a bus of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation were damaged. Some buildings located in Anjuman College compound, a hotel, housing finance office and SBI ATM suffered damages in the incident. The police have taken into custody about a dozen people relating to the incident for questioning.

The incident would have gone out of control but the timely intervention of police who resorted to lathi charge. Senior police officials rushed to the spot. The friction arose when a group of youth who were dancing to the tunes of songs on loudspeaker, joined the Rajyotsava procession opposite Anjuman college. When some people tried to hoist Kannada flag over the mast standing opposite Anjuman Hall, some people objected, giving rise to flaring of tempers. After a free-for-all ensued, some people threw stones and stabbed a few persons before fleeing.

Tight police security has been arranged at various strategic points in the city to control the situation.