Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 21: The city police on Monday February 21 held a peace march in the wake of the controversial Hijab versus saffron shawl issue that has rocked the state and to avert any communal tension that may arise in the wake of the murder of Bajrang Dal activist in Shivamogga.

The police led by commissioner N Shashi Kumar and DCP (law and order) Hariram Shankar marched Ballalbagh to the police commissionerate via Ambedkar circle.

Close to 300 police staff participated in the march. Among them were personnel of central subdivision, traffic police, CCB and CCRB staff.

The DCP said that the march with an aim to maintain peace and calm in the midst of the Hijab issue and to prevent any communal tension from simmering.

The state is in a grip of latent communal tension following the Hijab-saffron shawl issue that originated in an Udupi college and quickly spread throughout the state and garnered national and international attention. A larger bench of the Karnataka high court is presently hearing the case on a daily basis and in the meantime has issued an interim order prohibiting religious attires in educational institutions.

Late night on Sunday February 21, an activist of Bajrang Dal was murdered in Shivamogga, and though it is said that the murder was committed out of personal enmity, the incident has sparked tension in the district and has led police to impose prohibitory orders and declare holiday for schools and colleges to avert any further violence.