The protest during the bandh over the Mahadayi issue turned violent atavalgund on Thursday with the protestors indulging in arson and torching office records and furniture of BSNL office and bus station.
The police, who initially fired rubber bullets in the air, subsequently had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the angry mob that had gathered before the Navalgund Bus Depot.
The protestors first ransacked the BSNL office and the Navalgund Bus Station, where they damaged the furniture and torched them. The office of the Public Works Department and Government ITI College were also targeted by the protestors. They damaged the furniture and piled them at the entrance and torched them. Few vehicles were also damaged by the protestors and a jeep reportedly belonging to the PWD was torched.
It was herculean task for the police personnel to keep the situation under control. They eventually had to use force to disperse the crowd.
Superintendent of Police of Dharwad district Dharmender Kumar Meena is camping in Navalgund and Inspector General of Police of Northern Range Ramachandra Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad S.B. Bommanahalli too rushed to the spot after news about the situation worsening in Navalgund.
When the situation spiralled out of control, prohibitory orders were imposed and the police have launched a hunt for the troublemakers.
At least seven were arrested, of whom five were found to be carrying lethal weapons in a jeep. Sources said many more arrests were likely.
Suicide attempts
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Naragund town in Gadag district, where the farmers’ indefinite agitation completed a year recently, two youths attempted suicide by consuming poison at the agitation venue.
Nandish Mathad and Channabasav Charantimath, who consumed poison were treated initially at Naragund and later shifted to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi.
