HUBBALLI: Tension prevailed at Rattihalli town in Haveri district after miscreants resorted to stone pelting on Tuesday. The incident took place on Fort Road when a procession was being taken out.
Eyewitnesses said trouble started when some people from the procession started pelting stones at a place of worship and on a Urdu school building. A car, some autorickshaws and some two-wheelers that were parked along the road were damaged. No injuries were reported.
Haveri police called in additional forces to the town to maintain law and order. Fifteen youth belonging to the organisations that took out the procession have been arrested by the police. There could be more arrests in the next few days as the police are going through CCTV footage that have gone viral on social media.
The police said that, earlier, there was a procession taken out in honour of Sangolli Rayanna in Rattihalli on March 9. Some members from a Minority community allegedly stopped the procession on Fort Road. Following this, a large number of members gathered and another procession was taken out on Tuesday.
Reacting to the Rattihalli incident, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah called upon both communities to maintain harmony. “Police officials should take action against those who try to create unrest in the society,” he said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister BC Patil said that police have registered cases against those involved in stone pelting and legal action will be taken. “We are not living in Pakistan. Sangolli Raayanna was a great freedom fighter,” he said. Social activists said that the police should not have given permission for another procession to be taken out within a week.