MANGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa obliged to the public demand on relaxation of curfew, three days after police firing in Mangaluru claimed two lives. Addressing media after holding meeting with top police officials, religious leaders and family members of the deceased duo, Yediyurappa said that the curfew will be relaxed in phased manner starting from Saturday but the IPC Section 144 will continue in Mangaluru.
Yediyurappa said that on Saturday the curfew will be lifted between 3 pm and 6 pm and on Sunday whole day curfew will be lifted. The decision was taken as there were no mass gathering and untoward incidents were reported in Mangaluru and surroundings. Earlier in the day Congress MLC Ivan D'Souza had urged the government to relax the curfew as the commoners were going through lot of hardship.
On Wednesday, during the protest the police had to open fire in which Nausheen and Abdul Jaleel were killed. The protests and police action has also left seven perons injured of which two are said to be critical.
Yediyurappa said that a high-level meeting was conducted in Mangaluru and decision about inquiry over police firing will taken soon. Yediyurappa said that the mob tried to attack police station and the police action was carried out to stop the mob from taking away arms from the police station, leading to violence situation.
"We shall soon fix an agency to probe the firing incident," he said. When asked about videos being surfaced showing police atrocity he said that the truth will come out once the inquiry is done.
Chief Minister also assured that there will be no hindrance to Christmas celebrations in Mangaluru and surroundings, and government treats all religions equally. "I have asked the local administration to provide compensation within the legal framework," he said.
On Saturday morning, the residents in Mangaluru had tough time as they were unaware about the curfew relaxation. With no internet in the city, many came to know about relaxation of curfew only after it was lifted.
"I saw a police van announcing about relaxation in curfew close to 8 am. When we went to market little later we found police chasing us back. The police are not letting auto run and people are made to walk for miles with their luggage to their homes and railway stations," rued a resident from Kodial Bail area.