Update (1.00pm):

Ulaibettu protest – situation under control, but further protests planned:

Mangaluru: The police, following a massive lathi charge and mass arrests, including of the protest leaders,  have managed to disperse the protesters and the situation near the entry to Ulaibettu has turned calm. However tension still prevails.  The protesters claim that the Rajshekarananda swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt was attacked by the police, specifically, the DCP, Law and Order, Dr. K V Jagadish, during the lathi charge,  and they have regrouped to Vamanjoor, and are planning to hold huge protest meeting at the Sri Rama Mandira at Vamanjoor to protoest this affront, as also decide on their next moves. They have been joined by BJP leader, Tejaswi Ramesh Gowda.  

The arrested leaders, who were subsequently let off by the police joined the protest meet, which was held in Sri Ram Bhajana Mandir, Vamanjoor. In his address, Sri Rajashekarananda swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt also requested the mob not to take law into their own hands. “The police have promised us that they will take us to Ulaibettu. We want to support the Hindu community, which resides in Ulaibettu. They are dominated by the minority community, which has lot of presence there”, he said. By gathering here in such a large number, we have shown to the police and to the government, that we don’t keep quiet, if we are troubled”, he said. BJP leader Thejaswi accused the congress government for the communal clashes. She promised support to the activists. 

The mob now pacified, dispersed.

The commissioner speaking on the situation after the arrests, said, “We have successfully stopped them from barging in, clashes are common when there is a lathi-charge. We have arrested the leaders of the protest. The situation will be soon under control”, he added.

 

Update (11.30 am):

Ulaibettu protest – situation goes out of control

Mangaluru: The situation appears to be going out of control of the police,  with more than 5000 protesters set to barge-into Ulaibettu through the dwara, with the approximate 200 police heavily outnumbered and the barricades to the area being broken down by the surging agitated crowd. As soon as Rajshekarananda swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt began his speech in support of Hindu and accusing the minority, the crowd began to move further, where section 144 was imposed. The pro-Hindu leaders repeatedely asked the crowd to be peacefull, but their efforts went in vain. 

Meanwhile, the crowd attacked the police and stones are being pelted at the police from various angles. The police were unable to control the surging crowds despite the presence of the commissioner of police and imposition of section 144. They resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the surging mobs.  Protesters even punctured the buses and broke the glasses of the vehicles. Ultimately the police made mass arrests, but ran short of buses to ferry the arrested away from the spot. The stones which were reportedely pelted on the police also fell on the protestors. During the clash, two women – Poornima and Bhavani – were injured. 
 
The Hindu leaders themselves were unable to control the agitated crowd.  A few leaders of the Hindu-outfit made a human chain to stop the protesters from breaking section 144, but they did not pay any heed and mobbed their own leaders.  They claim a large number of women and police personnel have been hurt in the melee.  Finally, the commissioner of police, no less pleaded and folded his hand in front of the protestors requesting them to return, as the police did not want more people to be injured. 

Umanath Kotian, leading the protests, claimed that they wanted a peaceful protest, but miscreants threw stones. He claimed that the miscreants wanted to enter Ulaibettu as the hindus are residing in fear of the muslim majority there. A flex, which carried the name of local MLA Moihdeen Bawa was torn to pieces by the mob. 
 
Earlier addressing the protest, Rajshekarananda swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt said, “Muslims are waiting at Ulaibettu with weapons in their hand – that delivers their message of hate and violence.”  “If we wish we could barge-in but we won’t do it this time, however next time they will not be spared, he further questioned, when Hindu’s are attacked Section 144 is not imposed, why so?”

Update (10.30 am)

VHP and Bajarang Dal protest begins

Mangaluru: The Vishwa hindu Parishad and Bajarang Dal have commenced their protests and demonstration at Gurpura-Parari junction on the outskirts of the city. A sea of saffron leaders marched towards Ulaibettu from Gurupura, Vamanjoor and other surrounding areas. The police said that they are not letting the protestors to enter Ulaibettu, where section 144 has been imposed from 6am to 6pm. 

The agitation is led by Bajrang Dal leader Sharan Pumpwell, state joint convener of Hindu Jagran Vedike – Satyajit Suratkal, President of Dakshina Kannada district unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad – Jagadish Shenava, Jitendra Kottari along with a large number of saffron protesters. It is reported that  Rajshekarananda swamiji of Vajradehi Mutt has joined the protest from Gurupura onwards. Several women protesters too are participating in the rally that has started moving towards Ulaibettu.

It is learnt that the protestors have planned to break the section 144 imposed by the police in the Ulaibettu area and enter the locality It is learnt that this determination on their part flows from the challenge thrown down by the muslim residents of the area – that they will not be allowed to enter their territory. It appears that a major clash between the protesters and police is likely.

 

Earlier Reports

Mangaluru: After the Hindu chauvinist organizations called for a dawn to dusk Gurupura bandh, today to protest the Friday night assault on youths of the Hindu community, whilst they were on their way to Datta Mala Abhiyan in Chikkamagaluru – the area has completely shut down.

The bandh has been observed in the parts of Bajpe, Kateel, Yekkaru, Yedapadavu, Kuppepadavu, Neerumarga, Vamanjoor, and Kaikamba. All activities in these villages have stopped for the moment as people have locked themselves n  and the streets are deserted. At Bajpe, stones were pelted on a stationary bus early in the morning by the agitators. There was also sporadic violence in  Yedapadavu, when stones were pelted at  buses in order to bring them to a halt,  and some  vegetable vendors.

However the main impact of the bandh call was seen at Vamanjoor and surrounding areas where section 144 has been imposed. The Police has sealed off Ulaibettu with a massive police presence to prevent Hindu activists from entering the area. Commissioner of Police is present at the spot and he said that violence will be prevented at all costs.The police have kept govt. busses on standby to shift arrested miscreants at the first sign of trouble.

The Hindu activists, however, speaking to Newskarnataka said that they are determined to enter the area in a  massive show of strength. It is learnt that the groups have organized about 5000 people for the  protest rally which is  scheduled to start from Gurupura-Parari junction followed  by a protest meeting on the premises of Vishwanath Temple later in the day.

Service and city busses have stopped plying in the area, shops have downed their shutters and a major police bandobast is visible to prevent untoward incidents.  There was an attempt to burn a few shops which was prevented by alert police.

Hindu organizations also demand state government to provide compensation to those injured in the attacks and arrest the perpetrators. However, the city remains unaffected by the bandh call so far and is bustling along. 

All the buses in the outskirts of the city have been stopped observing the bandh. More details are awaited.