Southern States
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Karnataka
Police open fire to prevent arson at Kutta
By Our Staff Correspondent
MADIKERI, DEC. 11. The police fired five rounds in the air at Kutta town in south Kodagu on Tuesday to quell a small group of persons who attempted to set fire to a place of worship. Trouble has been erupting in various places following the desecration of the Sri Satya Harischandra Temple at Palur in Kodagu a few days ago.
The group forced their way into the place of worship and severely beat up the moulvi. He has been admitted to a hospital at Mananthavadi in Kerala. Kutta is on the border with Kerala. One person was arrested in that connection, and through him other accused were being traced, police said.
In another incident, a private jeep was set on fire at Nelaji, near Napoklu. Stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Kodambur, near Murnad.
Mr. Subhash Bharani, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order), told presspersons here that barring those incidents, the situation in the district was well under control. No loss of life had been reported since the trouble began on Sunday. However, when asked whether a person had died at Shanivarasante in Somwarpet taluk last night following an attack on a place of worship, he said he would confirm it later.
He clarified that only Section 144 under the Cr.PC would be in force for two more days, and that nowhere in the district would curfew be imposed. There was some confusion with regard to imposition of curfew in the district today.
Ban orders: Meanwhile, an official release quoting the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. G.V. Ramachandra, said here that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC, which was to have expired at midnight today, had been extended till midnight on December 13. All schools and colleges in Kodagu would remain closed during the period.
Mr. Bharani denied rumours that armed men had infiltrated into Kodagu from Kerala following the disturbances. Vigil had been intensified in the border towns with the deployment of additional forces. Mr. Bharani also clarified that no preventive arrests were made, scotching rumours that some leaders of political parties and organisations had been detained.
As many as 42 persons had been arrested so far in connection with the disturbances from various parts of Kodagu, the Inspector-General of Police (Southern Range), Mr. M.K. Srivastava, said. They were picked from Kottamudi, Napoklu, Somwarpet, Madikeri, Gonicoppa, Hudikeri, and other places. Two Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors and Assistant Sub-Inspectors, three head constables, four constables, one armed head constable and two armed constables were injured in the disturbances.
Based on the complaints registered, 10 shops, 16 houses and two police vehicles were damaged. However, the actual number of shops gutted or looted, and houses damaged is said to be much higher than the police version.
Mr. Bharani confirmed that three places of worship had been attacked and partially damaged at Balele, Hudikeri and Kutta. Asked whether bombs were hurled at a place of worship in Hakathur, near Madikeri, Mr. Bharani said: ``I have to verify it.'' He has apprised the Home Minister, Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge, and the Director-General of Police, Mr. V.V. Bhaskar, of the situation.
Mr. Bharani appealed to the people of Kodagu to remain calm and not to pay heed to rumours. Anti-social elements and culprits responsible for the violence would be brought to book. The police would provide protection to the life and property of the people, he said, and requested the public to cooperate with the police in restoring law and order.
He said 15 platoons of KSRP, 11 of DAR, one platoon each of the Special Action Force from Hassan, and the Rapid Action Force, including women personnel, apart from the civil police force in Kodagu had been deployed in the troubled areas.
Normal life was affected in many places in the district as private buses kept off the roads for the second consecutive day today. Shops and business establishments functioned as usual in Madikeri and other places.
Peace meeting: A peace meeting will be held at the Old Assembly Hall here at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. It will be presided over by the Kodagu District in-charge Minister, Mr. M.M. Nanaiah. Prominent members of different communities, citizens, and political leaders, will attend the meeting.
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