Belthangady witnesses ugly communal clashes

Belthangady witnesses ugly communal clashes

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, January 24, 2012 :A group of miscreants barged into small shops owned by members of a minority community in Mugaradka in Belthangady, a short distance from Uppinangady, the venue of the Hindu Samajotsav, which had ended with stone pelting and lathi charge.

 

 

 

The recent attack on minority shops follows an incident at Mugaradka Jaathre, a religious fair reputed for its promotion of cultural and communal harmony, in which two people were nabbed for alleged chain snatching. Local people caught a couple of miscreants for allegedly attempting to steal a chain and handed them over to the management committee of the Mugardka Temple, which organizes the fair.

Shortly thereafter, a team of police officers under the leadership of N. N. Anucheth, the ASP of Puttur, arrived on the scene and arrested the accused, who were identified as Nazeer and Althaf of Valalu.

When a group of people belonging to communal organizations came to know of this, they demanded that the two should be handed over to them. They also accused the temple authorities for being “too soft toward Muslims.” This immediately led to a clash between two groups. When the situation got out of hand, the police used their lathis and dispersed the crowds.

Simultaneously, a group of miscreants attacked shops owned by Muslims. They pelted stones on the shops and the police officers, who rushed to the rescue of the shop owners.

The Puttur police say that at least 2 people have been injured and 4 police vehicles have been damaged. A number of shops have also been damaged.