KALABURAGI: Violent protests broke out here on Tuesday after a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was found to be desecrated at a village on the outskirts of Kalaburagi in the morning.
Though the protest started off peacefully, it turned violent towards noon with protesters throwing stones at shops, hotels and other business establishments at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Circle, Humnabad Base and Super Market areas.
The trouble started after members of Dalit organisations noticed the desecration of the statue at Kotnoor village. The activists blocked the state highway near Ram Mandir Circle early in the morning. Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanika Sukriwal rushed to the spot and tried to convince the agitators, but they refused to. The protesters made the DCP clean the statue and then garland it.
Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Tarannum, who too arrived at the spot, had to walk nearly half a kilometre as a huge crowd had gathered around the statue. When she requested the protesters to withdraw their agitation, they told her they would do so only after the perpetrators were arrested.
By afternoon, more roads were blocked and protesters threw stones at business establishments, breaking glass fronts. They went around forcing business owners to down shutters. Kalyan Karnataka Regional Development Board Chairman D Ajay Singh, who is also Jewargi MLA, condemned the incident and said the Congress government in the state has the utmost respect for Dr Ambedkar. Kalaburagi South MLA Dattatraya C Patil Revoor also condemned the incident.
BJP leaders too requested the agitators not to indulge in violence and maintain peace. Kalaburagi MP Dr Umesh Jadhav released a video appeal requesting the agitators not to indulge in violence.