MANGALURU: Tension simmered in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka as it witnessed stone pelting during the funeral procession of an RSS worker who was killed in a brutal attack by unidentified assailants on July 4.
Sharath Madivala, an RSS worker and an owner of a laundry in BC Road, died at A J Hospital on Friday. His body was taken to his hometown in Kanduru in Sajipamunnuru Grama Panchayat in Buntwal taluk on Saturday. He was reportedly attacked by three people with lethal weapons when he was closing his shop at 9.30 pm. He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
On Saturday, his body was taken to his hometown in a 22-kilometer procession with people gathered at street corners and intersections all along the road from AJ Hospital to BC Road. The unrest started when the procession reached BC Road and few people pelted stones at the procession from the rooftop of ‘Sulthan Building’. The police took five persons into custody for allegedly pelting stones at the procession.
The stone pelting triggered an unrest which led to the stabbing of one Riyaz at Kaikamba on BC Road, damage to seven vehicles and few buildings. An ATM and its cubicle were also damaged.
According to the inspector general of police (western range) Harishekaran who was camping in Buntwal along with superintendent of police Sudhir Reddy, the situation was in control and except for few stray incidents like stone pelting, there was no untoward incident.
Despite, Dakshin Kannada administration's imposition of Section 144 till July 11 after a series of stabbings and disruptive incidents, on Friday, BJP legislators and Sangh Parivar activists gathered over 6000 people to protest against the attacks on Hindu activists. On Saturday, 3000 people joined the funeral procession of Sharat Madivala.
The police have booked MPs of Mangaluru and Udupi and Chikkamagalur Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje and Sangh Parivar senior Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for violating the prohibitory orders on Friday.