Even as sporadic incidents of stone throwing by mobs and mild caning by the police was reported in two police station limits of Mysuru on Monday, the district administration claimed that situation arising out of the bundh called by BJP in the City in the wake of a party activist’s murder, was under control.
BJP activist Raju was murdered on Sunday evening in a tea shop on M.G. Road in Udayagiri Police station limits. The City Police has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in Mysuru City following the bandh call.
Schools and colleges functioned as normal while shops and business establishments in most parts of the City remained open.
City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said the trouble was localised to two or three places in the City while normality prevailed elsewhere. He expressed hope of situation returning to normal in the City after the last rites of the deceased are completed.
A mob that was proceeding towards Sawdey Road to force closure of the shops was intercepted by the police near Mandi Mohalla police station. Police resorted to caning to disperse the mob.
Earlier, in the day, stones were thrown at buses near the Suburban bus stand while stones were hurled at a police van in Mandi police station limits. While a two wheeler was burnt in N.R. Mohalla police station limits, an auto rickshaw parked in K.R. Hospital premises was set ablaze.
The KSRTC has withdrawn both City and suburban services following stone throwing incidents. Officials hope to resume bus service by evening.
Meanwhile, the BJP supporters, who had gathered in front of the K.R. Hospital mortuary, where the post mortem was carried out, have demanded early arrest of the culprits.
In the melee, a few photojournalists, covering the event, were roughed up by the mob.
Mr. Dayananda said the police investigations into the murder to continue. Police have taken possession of CCTV footage from an ATM situated near the tea shop, where Raju was assaulted.
BJP leaders, meanwhile, have set conditions for the district administration to take possession of Raju’s body for the last rites. Party functionary M.A. Mohan said the Government should announce a compensation, besides taking action to stop construction of the disputed place of worship in Udayagiri police station limits.
II PUC Exams
Meanwhile, II PUC exams were conducted smoothly at 48 examination centres in Mysuru district including 25 in the City on Monday.
While 8,566 students out of the registered 9,112 students for Geography appeared for the exams, 9,883 students out of 10,127 registered for Mathematics wrote the exams. About 446 were absent from Geography exams and 244 were absent from Mathematics exams. “The absenteeism was normal. The exams were not affected by the bundh”, said K.M. Puttu, Deputy Director of Pre University, Mysuru.
