12 injured in communal clash; prohibitory orders clamped

Udupi, June 12 (UNI) At least 12 people, including a few policemen, have been injured in a communal clash between two groups of people at Padukere near Kota in this district of Karnataka.

Police said the trouble started late last night over an old issue relating to hoisting of a flag near a temple in the area. The people belonging to two different communities entered into a verbal duel over the issue and later started pelting stones against each other.

They also damaged a house and torched a few vehicles.

Despite lathicharge and bursting of teargas shells, the clashing groups failed to disperse, forcing the police to open fire in the air.

Seven people had been arrested in connection with the incident so far.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC had been clamped in five places near Kota till tomorrow morning.

Senior police officials, including IGP Sathyanarayana Rao, Superintendent of Police Subramanyeshwar Rao, visited the place.

Additional security forces had been deployed in the sensitive area.

Meanwhile, a peace meeting was convened by Dr Rao today to bring normalcy in the village.

UNI MA MV-RG GM1945