Two persons reportedly died of bullet injuries in hospitals on Thursday evening following protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and ensuing police action in Mangaluru. Earlier in the day, some youths were injured when police opened fire against miscreants who were attempting to set Mangaluru North (Bunder) Police Station.
Violence broke out after police caned a group of youths who had gathered near the office of Deputy Commissioner, defying the prohibitory orders. Curfew was announced in Central Sub-Division of Mangaluru, in five police station limits, till midnight of December 20. They include North, South, East, Barke and Urwa.
The youths shouted anti-CAA slogans and tried to stage a protest. Police burst teargas shells when the youth turned violent and threw stones at the public and the police in the State Bank area. The youth are now holed up in a nearby building and continue to pelt stones.
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Police have surrounded the building to disperse them. Police Commissioner P.S. Harsha has asked Muslim leaders to talk to the youth and calm them down.
Muslim leader K. Ashraff, a former Mayor of Mangaluru. was seriously injured in stone pelting during his attempt to calm down protesters. An online food delivery boy was also seriously injured and has been hospitalised.
Police fired bullets at protesters when they attempted to set North Police Station on fire. Yet, the mob rampage has not come down and miscreants are indulging in stone and bottle pelting from lanes and bylanes of Bunder area.
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Police have taken some of the youth into custody.
Traffic jam
There was traffic jam in several parts of the central business district area in the city after police diverted city buses and other traffic from approaching the State Bank of India bus terminus near the office of the Deputy Commissioner.
Police diverted traffic from Kasaragod, Bengaluru and Dharmasthala on the National Highway 66 at Pumpwell Circle which is the main entry point to the city. Hence many city buses cut short their trip midway without reaching the starting and end point of the travel, State Bank of India terminus.
Caught unaware of the stone pelting incidents and other developments in Bunder area behind the office of Deputy Commissioner, several people including schoolchildren and college students were seen waiting at many bus stops near Bunts Hostel Circle, Kankanady, Valencia, Mallikatta, and Ambedkar Circle.
The ongoing road development works in some places added to the chaos.