The Hindu : Karnataka News : Police avert clash in Shimoga village

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 07, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Police avert clash in Shimoga village

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA, JAN. 6. Timely intervention by the police and village leaders prevented what could have been a major group clash at Sugur village, near here, on Thursday.

The situation in the village is now under control, according to the Superintendent of Police, Arun Chakravarthy.

The rumour that a girl of the `Ganga Matastha' community had eloped with an upper caste boy of the neighbouring village sparked off the tension with members of both the communities deciding to "show their strength."

Members of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, who threw in their lot with the `Ganga Matastha' community, appealed to the Dalits not to work in the fields of upper caste people as a protest, and the DSS members reportedly tried to forcibly prevent Dalits from going there when their appeal was brushed aside.

When the action by the Dalit leaders was questioned by the elders of the village, a group of Dalits staged a dharna on the road.

Mr. Chakravarthy and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chandrashekhar, rushed to the village on receiving information about the tension in the village.

The groups were pacified by a promise that action will be taken. No arrests have been made so far.

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