NewsKarnataka – Chikmagalur

Chikmagalur: A communal fight irrupted among the people and security personnel of the town while police tried to cane down the issue on Saturday December 28.

Members of a community got furious when they found the remains of an animal at the entrance of their place of worship in the morning after which a large numbers of people gathered together and staged a protest.

As the religious sentiments of the community was hurt a horde went around forcing the closure of shops on MG Road and IG Road. The situation turned tense and the district administration enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, asking the protesters to disperse.

The appeal went unheeded and the two groups came to blows although the police resorted to caning down the protesters on MG Road and dispersed them. Several citizens and policemen were injured in the clash.

The town witnessed an undeclared bandh with schools and colleges, commercial establishments and cinemas pulling down their shutters. Additional police forces and platoons of the Rapid Action Force have been deployed on the main streets of the town.

Prathap Reddy, Inspector General of Police (Western Range), Hassan Superintendent of Police Ravi Channannanavar and other senior police officers are camping at Chikmagalur.

Home Minister KJ George said that Section 144 had to be imposed but now the situation is under control, while the Deputy Commissioner BS Shekharappa said that prohibitory orders would be in force till Sunday midnight.