For the second day since Sunday, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group wanting to take out a ‘shobha yatra’ in Gangavati town on Monday, in violation of prohibitory orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC).
Gangavati town has been under the grip of tension since Sunday after a communal clash broke out between two communities over putting up banners and flags for Id Milad. Police had to resort to repeated lathicharge to quell the clashing groups and imposed prohibitory orders besides deploying additional forces in sensitive areas to maintain law and order.
On Monday morning, a large number of youths belonging to a community gathered at a religious institution and came out in a procession. Police tried to convince them that taking out processions was prohibited and requested them to disperse. A majority from the group, who had come from outside the district, left in their vehicles towards Anjanadri betta, a pilgrim centre, on the banks of river Tungabhadra. But a splinter group was bent upon taking out the shobha yatra and the police tried to prevent it, leading to a heated argument.
Meanwhile, some miscreants pelted stones, and police resorted to a lathicharge to quell the mob. A constable and a few others sustained injuries and have been admitted to the government hospital for treatment. Even as the news of the trouble broke out spread, all shops and business establishments downed their shutters.
S. Murugan, Inspector General of Police (Ballari range), and Tyagarajan, Superintendent of Police, are camping in the town and supervising the bandobust arrangements.
M. Kanagavalli, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, who visited the spot, told The Hindu that prohibitory orders will be in force upto December 13 .
The situation in Gangavati is tense but under control.
