Karnataka: Situation remains peaceful in Maddur town amid BJP bandh call

Mandya (Karnataka), Sep 9 (PTI) Situation remained peaceful in Maddur town here on Tuesday despite a bandh call given by the BJP following communal clashes during Lord Ganesha idol immersion procession on September 7.

The bandh called by the BJP was supported by the saffron party's ally JD(S) and other organisations.

Around 800 personnel, including four Superintendents of Police, Additional SPs, and Karnataka State Reserve Police forces were deployed as a precautionary measure, Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi told PTI.

"The situation is under control and peaceful. Prohibitory orders are in place till tomorrow morning. Adequate forces have been deployed, and liquor sales have been prohibited," he said.

After attending the peace meeting in Maddur where discussions were also held regarding the mass Ganesh idol immersion planned for Wednesday, District in-charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy told reporters that while BJP and JD(S) leaders did not attend the meeting, those who attended agreed to co-operate with the authorities for a peaceful event.

"We requested members of all the communities to ensure their support so that the Ganapati Visarjan event can be carried out peacefully tomorrow. All of them have agreed to support police department and district authorities to maintain peace," he added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted that action will be taken against those responsible for the stone-pelting incident, irrespective of their religion or party affiliation, and accused the BJP "of trying to disturb peace." Home Minister G Parameshwara also asserted that the guilty will not be spared.

He appealed to all communities to maintain peace and warned against taking law into their hands.

According to IGP (Southern Range) M B Boralingaiah, the lights going off during the stone pelting at the Ganesha idol immersion procession on Sunday, raises doubts about whether the incident was pre-planned and an investigation is on in this regard.

He said the situation in Maddur, where tension prevailed following the stone pelting incident, is currently peaceful and the police are in full control of the situation. Twenty two people have been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Regarding the suspected conspiracy that might have led to the incident, "we will go to the roots," he added.

Police said two FIRs have been registered in connection with clashes that broke out on Sunday when stones were thrown at the Ganesha idol procession in Ram Rahim Nagar.

While police booked a case on their own, they registered another based on a complaint lodged by an injured person.

According to SP, strict vigilance has been maintained regarding miscreants trying to use the situation to instigate any untoward incident. Deployment has been increased in all areas, and especially at sensitive points.

"Regarding the stone pelting incident, we have prepared a list of 26 people involved, among them, 22 people have been arrested and four are yet to be arrested. All of them are in judicial custody. We are thinking about taking them into police custody for inquiry regarding those behind the incident and to see if there was instigation from someone," he said.

Further investigations are on regarding whether it was pre-planned, he said.

"We are analysing several CCTV footage and videos to check the movement of people," he said.

Asked whether the accused are associated with any organisation, the SP said, "We are yet to get more information on it.

According to police, the stone-pelting, which began about 500 metres from a mosque, had led to retaliation from members of the procession.

Protesting against the incident, the BJP and right-wing organisations on Monday had held a massive protest in Maddur to disperse which the police had used mild force.

Meanwhile, alleging collapse of law and order situation in the state, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra targeted the ruling Congress government over the stone pelting incident in Maddur, as he accused it of "indulging in minority appeasement and taking anti-Hindu position".

He said a delegation consisting of the Leader of Opposition in both houses of legislature R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, himself and other party leaders will be visiting Maddur on Wednesday and take part in a meeting and mass Ganesh idol immersion programme there.

"The law and order situation in the state has completely collapsed today. People of the state and Hindu activists are asking the chief minister, as to what injustice have the Hindus done to this Congress government? ....Somewhere I think that the CM is surrounded by ineligible people," Vijayendra said. PTI AMP KSU KH