SHIVAMOGGA: Tension prevailed in Tunga Nagar police station limits on Thursday following a group clash over a Pongal banner.
Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the groups. Three people were injured in stone-pelting.
Trouble arose on Wednesday night when one group damaged a banner put up on the occasion of Pongal in the Tamil-dominated Tunga Nagar Channel area on the Ring Road.
This led to verbal duels between the two groups and one group threatening the other.
After this incident, some local youths led by Bajrang Dal staged a dharna in front of the Tunga Nagar police station demanding security and the arrest of those who threatened them. The police pacified them and sent them out.
Trouble again arose when the protesters reached their area and shouted slogans, and the other group objected to it. This was followed by stone-pelting in which three people — Irfan, Praveen and Keerti Kumar — sustained minor injuries and were taken to the McGann Hospital in the city.
On receipt of information, the police rushed to the spot and resorted to caning to disperse the mob. But the women of the area blocked the Ring Road and staged a protest.
Knowing the gravity of the situation, Superintendent of Police Koushalendra Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Shivakumar and team went to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Additional Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and District Armed Reserve (DAR) platoons have been deployed in the area. A case has been registered at the Tunga Nagar police station.
However, soon there were rumours that there was a communal clash and that two persons were murdered leading to tension in the city again. SP Koushalendra Kumar said that the police were directed to arrest the persons responsible for the clashes.
He appealed to people not to believe such rumours and assured them that the police would take steps to maintain law and order in the city.