Two persons injured in fresh violence near Mangalore

Mangalore, Oct 6 (UNI) At least two people were injured in group clashes at Ullal and stray incidents of stone pelting were reported at several places during a bandh, called by Sri Rama Sena in protest against the arrest of their chief Pramod Muthalik yesterday at Bababudangiri in Chikmagalur and against alleged atrocities on Hindus.

Mangalore city, Bantwal and Puttur towns were rocked by violence since Wednesday night that left over 25 people injured following a mini lorry, allegedly carrying cows to a slaughter house, hitting a jeep at Kudroli in the city limits.

Police had resorted to firing in the air, burst tear gas shells and ordered cane charge at various places to disperse the agitators.

The district observed bandh for the second day today.

The entire city wore a deserted look for the second day today.

No vehicular traffic was seen on the roads. In view of the bandh, the district administration had declared a holiday for all colleges and schools in the city and at Bantwal till tomorrow. Prohibitory orders, clamped yesterday, would be continued tomorrow.

Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police B Dayanand told UNI here that the police resorted to mild lathicharge in some areas, including Ullal and Thokkotu, to disperse irate mobs which indulged in stone pelting. The mob also burnt a few vehicles and some shops were damaged in the violence.

At Ullal, during prayer time, groups belonging to two communities were engaged in a clash, leading to stone pelting, in which atleast two persons were injured, he said, adding that stone pelting incidents were also reported from Thokkottu, Konaje and Farangipet.

Police resorted to a mild cane charge on agitators in Puttur town who forced some shop owners to close their establishments. Ten people were arrested in this connection.

The bandh call given by Bajrang Dal in Puttur in the district evoke total response and was peaceful without any untoward incident, except road blockades. All buses remained off the roads and shops and business establishements downed their shutters. Police have clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC in the area.

Mr Dayanand said that except for some stray incidents, the overall situation in Mangalore and other parts of the district was under control and peaceful. Additional police force had been deployed in all sensitive areas in the city to maintain law and order.

District in-charge Minister B Nagaraja Shetty visited some sensitive areas in the city.

UNI MA GD YA RN1940