Some miscreants set fire to the car of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader at Padutonse-Hoode village, about 18 km from Udupi in the early hours of Saturday.
Malpe police said that BJP leader Harshavardhan, in his complaint, had said that a group of seven persons set fire to his car just after midnight. Mr. Harshavardhan woke up after the siren went off. He said he saw two persons flee on a motorcycle, while five others ran.
The bonnet and engine of the car had been damaged in the fire. A case had been registered at the Malpe police station and investigations were on.
Some unidentified miscreants had thrown a stone at his car damaging its rear windshield in June. Mr. Harshavardhan had lodged a complaint but no-one was arrested in that case, the police said.
A delegation of Sangh Parivar organisations met the Superintendent of Police M.B. Boralingaiah and sought action against the miscreants and protection to Mr. Harshavardhan.
Security tightened
Mr. Boralingaiah said a unit of District Armed Reserve police had been stationed at Padutonse-Hoode. “There was no tension of any kind and the situation is completely peaceful there,” he said.
