BENGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA, Oct 3: Twenty-four cases have been registered and 60 people arrested so far in connection with the violence that broke out during a religious procession in the district headquarters town of Shivamogga, police said on Tuesday.
The situation in the Ragi Gudda locality in Shivamogga city, where prohibitory orders were clamped after tension prevailed there, following incidents of stone pelting on Sunday, is now peaceful and under control, police said.
“Regarding the Ragi Gudda incident we have booked 24 FIRs and we have detained 60 people and have arrested them. The situation in the Ragi Gudda area is now peaceful and there are no repercussions of it in the Shivamogga city,” Shivamogga Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar told reporters in Shivamogga.
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Home Minister G Parameshwara said in Bengaluru: “Everything is under control, there is nothing to worry about….investigation is on…ADGP Law and Order was sent there, he had camped there and is now back….once the investigation is complete they will give a report to me”.
Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa, who is also Minister in-charge of Shivamogga district today visited a few houses in Ragi Gudda area that were stoned during Sunday’s incident.
Bangarappa said swords that are seen in some of the visuals, allegedly being carried during the procession “are not original and were made out of plastic or cardboard….in my tradition we hold trishula, similarly here, don’t link it to violence. In case they were used for violence, police will take action.”
Mithun Kumar said the businesses and other activities are going on normally in Shivamogga city.
“Even after the incident, the Eid-Milad procession was held peacefully in the city till 11:30 PM that day. Ragi Gudda area on the outskirts of the Shivamogga city only saw this incident, I was also personally present there, we (police) took steps and brought the situation under control within half-n-hour. The culprits have been arrested,” he added.
Noting that there are certain restrictions only in Ragi Gudda area and it will be withdrawn after assessing the situation, the SP said there is no need for any worry, and the culprits will be given the strict punishment.
During the spot visit he came across that stones were pelted on the houses of people belonging to all communities, he said. “The culprits are criminals irrespective of their community, as stone pelting is wrong….there is no need for the innocents to worry. Cases have been registered against those, against whom there is photo and video evidence.”
Responding to a question about reports about involvement of “outsiders” and that an Omni van was used by the miscreants, Mithun Kumar said the vehicle has been traced and investigation is on and we have questioned those who used it.
“Let’s not speculate on this and jump into any conclusion and create panic among the people, investigation is on and all angles will be looked at,” he said.
According to police, an angry mob is said to have hurled stones at a few houses and vehicles and injured several people, including the police, allegedly following rumours that there was a stone pelting on the Eid Milad procession on Sunday evening.
Police officials said they had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.
Earlier on Sunday before the stone pelting incident, there were protests in the Ragi Gudda area over a cutout that was put up as part of the procession, as the police had covered a portion of it, due to “bit controversial (content)”, which upset people of a community, police said.
Mithun Kumar and other police officers had reached the spot and held talks with the people to bring the situation under control.
Bangarappa said all those involved in the incident will be dealt with in accordance with law, and appealed to people to maintain peace.
“Police have been given full freedom, they are investigating and will bring the truth out,” he said, declining to respond to allegations, speculations, and reports about involvement of outsiders. (PTI)
