Sporadic incidents of violence and vandalism erupted in Kalaburagi district on Sunday following the dropping of Qamarul Islam from the State Cabinet and denial of Ministership to Malikayya Guttedar.
While one Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus was burnt near Saradagi village on the National Highway connecting Kalaburagi and Jewargi by the supporters of Mr. Guttedar, a motorcycle was set on fire and a North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation bus was stoned in Kalaburagi by the supporters of Mr. Islam.
The district Congress office was vandalised too. The supporters of Mr. Islam raised slogans against leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Police personnel were mute spectators to the violence. The mob barged into the office, damaged the furniture and stoned the building and tore the party flag. However, district Congress committee president Baganagowda Sunkanur and Chandrasekhar Sultanpurkar were not harmed.
The followers of Mr. Guttedar, who were returning to their villages after staging a rasta roko on the National Highway connecting Kalaburagi and Jewargi near Farhatabad, stopped a KSRTC bus coming towards Kalaburagi and made all the passengers alight and set it on fire.
Tension prevailed in Kalaburagi since early morning after the arrival of Mr. Islam from New Delhi. The supporters of Mr. Islam staged a rasta roko at Sardar Vallabhai Patel Chowk and forced shopkeepers to down their shutters and chased away autorickshaws. They also stoned at least six shops in the vicinity. A motorcycle was also set on fire.
The irate mob which went as a procession from the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Chowk indiscriminately threw stones at shops and vehicles. They also stoned a stationary NEKRTC bus opposite to the Town Hall and damaged all the window panes. The police personnel, who were in full strength, were mute spectators here too.
The target of the supporters of Mr. Islam and Mr. Guttedar was Mr. Kharge and they burned his effigy at Farhatabad and in different places in Kalaburagi. They also burnt an effigy of Mr. Siddaramaiah near the Congress office in Kalaburagi.
