Udupi: Tension in Kaup; Vehicle Movement on Highway Comes to Standstill
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Mar 16: After miscreants pelted stones at the vehicles that were returning after taking part in the Hindu Samjotsav programme held in Mangalore and also the vehicle in which Udupi superintendent of police(SP) Pravin Madhukar Pawar was travelling at Kaup near here on Sunday March 15, the SP was injured. About 25 people were also injured in the incident that occurred at around 7 pm.
The policemen have arrested about 20 miscreants from the mosque in Kaup from where the stones were hurled. The people of Kaup have grown apprehensive and tension is in the air. However, the policemen have taken initiatives to ensure that the situation does not go out of hand.
The incident occured inspite of the presence of the police strength at Kaup in view of the Samajotsav. After stones damaged buses at Koppalanagady near Kaup and injured some people, vehicles gathered in front of Hosa Mariyamma Temple in Kaup. The general public, agitated over the incident, blocked traffic on the highway No.17. Heated discussions ensued between people who were angered by the incident and those who tried to pacify the crowd.
The policemen rushed to the spot, after coming to know of the incident. Miscreants pelted stones at their vehicles from the direction of Polipu mosque. As SP Pravin Madhukar Pawar opened the door of his car and got down, a stone hit his head. The backside of his head was injured, and the policemen admitted Pawar to a private hospital in Kaup, in an unconscious condition.
After people gathered in large numbers both on the roadside and inside the mosque premises, the policemen fired in the air, sensing that the situation might go out of control. They also resorted to lathi charge. MLA Lalaji Mendon and Kollur temple managing trustee Krishna Prasad Adyantaya, Karunakar Salian of Hindu Jagran Vedike and Vijay Karkera of the BJP took the lead in pacifying the agitated Hindu leaders not to resort to retaliatory measures by hurling stones at the mosque. Glass splinters and stones were found scattered on the highway at Polipu immediately after the incident.
As the vehicles coming from both the directions stopped because of the disturbance, long lines of vehicles were formed on both the sides. Later, the policemen redirected buses coming from Padubidri direction via Karkala road and those coming from Udupi, via Katpady. Western range inspector general of police too paid a visit the spot and issued directions to the policemen. Shiroor Math Swamiji too visited the site and requested the policemen to take firm steps to control the situation. Additional police forces were rushed from Mangalore and the policemen of the rank of deputy superintendent of police and circle inspector have camped at Kaup.
The arrested miscreants included some well known faces, it is learnt. Stones, soda bottles, sticks etc., found stacked inside the mosque were taken into possession by the policemen. Local people, Hindu activists, passengers and policemen are among those injured in the incident.
Home minister Dr V S Acharya has said that the policemen will investigate the issue and take steps against the trouble mongers. MLA Lalaji Mendon too has urged the policemen to arrest the miscreants within 24 hours and take legal action against them.
SP Commended: The people were surprised at the extra-ordinary courage and determination shown by the Udupi SP. Even after he was injured after a stone hit his head hard and the SP was about to collapse, the policemen supported him and took him to a hospital. Even in this condition, he at first, refused to go to the hospital and insisted on remaining on the spot to control the situation.
Vittal Report: Miscreants pelted stones at two private buses and several buses that were returning from Hindu Samajotsav at Okkettoor and Maripalla, at around 9 pm, giving rise to anger among the Hindu activists who were preparing to retaliate. Eye witnesses said that the miscreants hid themselves behind a hillock at the bend located after the Okkettoor bridge and hurled stones at the vehicles. Later, two cars coming from Mangalore at about 9.30 pm also came under the attack of the miscreants. Two contingents of the DRI have been deployed at the spot.
A jeep was damaged after it was stoned at, by the miscreants at Maripalla near Bantwal. A person named Tammaiah Gowda from Kadaba was injured in the incident. He has been admited into a private hospital nearby.