Tension prevailed in Surpur city on Saturday after following a stone-throwing incident near the house of MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik late night on Friday.
According to police, a group of persons created nuisance outside the residence of Dr. Naik and the situation turned tense when another group objected to it. Thereafter, the two groups engaged in throwing stones at one another causing injuries to four persons.
“As many as 17 persons were arrested in connection with the incident following a complaint registered by an aide of the MLA, Shantappa, with the Surpur police,” Alok Kumar, Inspector-General of Police, North Eastern Range, Kalaburagi, told reporters in Surpur.
Mr. Alok Kumar, who immediately rushed to the spot on Saturday morning, said that a case under Sections 143, 145, 147, 354 (D) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66 of IT Act was registered against the accused persons. Further inquiry is on.
While briefing reporters, Mr. Alok Kumar said that on Thursday, a case was registered against Krishna for troubling a woman on the phone. In a later development, Krishna too lodged a complaint alleging that he was robbed of his gold chain by the relatives of the woman.
When the case against the relatives of the woman was registered, a few persons went near the house of Dr. Naik and created nuisance, which was objected to by the other group.
When the situation turned tense, the groups hurled stones at one another, he said.
Situation under control
Now, the situation in Surpur city is under control, as additional police force from Kalaburagi, Bidar and Yadgir was brought for bandobast.
Three platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and two platoons of the District Reserve Police and hundreds of civil police have been deployed for security.
The former Minister Narasimha Naik alleged that Dr. Naik is responsible for the incident and demanded an impartial police inquiry to bring the truth out.
MLA’s reaction
In his reaction, Dr. Naik said that he was nowhere concerned with the incident and urged the police to take stern action against the culprits.
He also denied a private Kannada news channel report saying that Dr. Naik was injured in the stone-throwing incident and said that the report is far from the truth.
