KALABURAGI: In a setback to the State Government, the Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed the government order withdrawing cases filed against a few people who threw stones at the police in Chittapur town in 2019.
On August 11, 2019, the police had stopped an SUV for transporting cattle illegally near Dandoti Cross of Chittapur town and detained the occupants of the vehicle. The police had also seized the vehicle and the cattle. Later, people from one community rushed to the Chittapur police station and entered into a heated argument with the police asking them to release those detained.
Though the police dispersed the crowd, they indulged in stone-throwing from Basir Gunj Chowk in Chittapur, damaging a car and a bike. The next day, the police registered an FIR against 19 persons for vandalism.
Recently, the state cabinet decided to withdraw a few cases, including the one related to stone throwing. The police then sought permission from the Principal Civil Judge, JMFC Chittapur to withdraw the FIR and the court agreed on October 10, 2025.
One Girish Bharadwaj from Bengaluru approached the Kalaburagi Bench of the HC, questioning the government’s move to withdraw the FIR against the 19 persons. Advocates S. S. Dikshit and Venkatesh argued on behalf of Girish.
Justice Sachin Shankar Magdum heard the case on Tuesday and stayed the government order and posted the next hearing to December 4.
2 HELD FOR CATTLE LIFTING IN BHATKAL
BHATKAL (UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT): TWO persons have been arrested on charges of lifting cattle from a temple premises in Bhatkal town of Uttara Kannada district.
The accused have been identified as Rehan (28) and Faizan (25), both residents of Puravarga village near Bhatkal. The police believe that there are a few more people involved in the incident.
According to the police, the accused had lifted a stray cattle from the premises of Channapatna Hanuman temple in Bhatkal at 3.15 am on Saturday.
The police zeroed in on the accused based on the registration number of the car used in the crime that was captured in CCTV footage. Hindu activists had filed a complaint with the police in this regard.