Karnataka - Bellary   

Clashing groups lathicharged at Mariyammanahalli

Staff Correspondent

Trouble began on Thursday at a temple fair

BELLARY: The police on Friday resorted to a lathicharge and burst tear gas shells to quell clashing groups of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes at Mariyammanahalli village, near from Hospet city. A few police personnel, including a sub-inspector, have suffered injuries in a stone-throwing incident. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Cr.PC, which have been clamped as a precautionary measure, will be in force for two days.

Trouble started when a youth allegedly threw a banana on a girl after the annual twin car festival of Sri Anjaneya and Lakshmi Narayanswamy on Thursday. Some youths belonging to the girl's community took umbrage to the action of the youth from the other community. After a heated exchange of words, a clash broke out among the youths of the two communities. The police intervened and prevented the situation from going out of control.

Members of the Scheduled Caste registered a complaint the same night but members of Scheduled Tribe came to the police station on Friday to register a complaint. As they were returning, the news spread that members of Scheduled Caste have gathered in large number and the rival group began marching towards the Scheduled Caste colony. Sensing danger, police prevented the group from going towards the colony. Then the group started to throw stones. When the police could not disperse the mob with lathicharge, they burst tear gas shells.

Some makeshift stalls, set up for the annual fair, were damaged.

Pankaj Kumar Thakur, Superintendent of Police, who is camping in the village, told The Hindu that the situation was under control.

As many as 11 persons have been detained in connection with the stone-throwing incident. Additional forces, including a Karnataka State Reserve Police platoon and two District Armed Reserve platoon, were deployed in the village, he said.

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Clashing groups lathicharged at Mariyammanahalli

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