A tense environment prevailed, while a couple of vehicles were damaged, after footwear was hung on an arch commemorating B.R. Ambedkar at Kollegal town of Chamrajnagar district on Saturday.
With protests erupting across the town by Scheduled Caste organisatons, the district police have enforced prohibitory orders at Kollegal till January 22.
According to the district police, unidentified persons hung footwear on an arch leading to Bheemanagar, a predominantly dalit populated area sometime on Saturay night. The arch had a picture of Dr. Ambedkar prominently in the middle.
The discovery of the defiling led to a spontaneous outburst by residents and local organisations. Major roads in the town were blocked. “One KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) bus was pelted with stones, while the panes of another private vehicle were damaged. We have deployed police forces in the town, and the situation is under control,” said Kuldeepkumar Jain, Chamrajnagar Superintendent of police.
Section 144, which prevents gathering of more than five persons at a place has been enforced in the town limits even as organisations continued to protest demanding the arrest of those who had targetted the arch.
Police, however, are yet to make any arrests.
