Tipu Jayanti was celebrated at the zilla panchayat auditorium here on Thursday without trouble though activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal staged a protest outside the venue.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, and Ganesh Karnik, MLC, came in different groups to the venue that had been cordoned off by the police from all sides. Mr. Kateel and VHP district unit president Jagadish Shenva tried to enter from the main road while Mr. Karnik tried to enter from a side road. The police stopped all of them.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K.M. Shantaraju and Mr. Kateel engaged in an argument when the police tried to pull him into a waiting bus. As many as 142 activists were arrested and taken away in four KSRTC buses to Panambur, Mangaluru East and Barke police stations.
A case has been registered under provisions of the Karnataka Police Act against the protesters.
There was heavy police police presence at the zilla panchayat auditorium. Among the personnel posted at the venue included the Kerala Armed Police. Two drones fitted with high resolution cameras were also put into service. Videographers were also put on job. Those entering the venue were screened.
Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B. Ramanath Rai, Mayor Harinath, Mohiuddin Bava, MLA, Ivan D'Souza, MLC, and Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy chairperson M. Janaki Brahmavar were present. Head of the Department of Kannada at Mangaluru University B. Shivarama Shetty spoke on Tipu Sultan. Congress activists, zilla panchayat employees and district-level officers were present.
