DISCUSSION: Assistant Commissioner Vijaykumar Torgal speaking to former Mayor Shivaji Sunthakar at the scene of trouble in B.K. Kangrali where miscreants defiled a statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Belgaum on Tuesday.

Belgaum: The Marathi-speaking people of B.K. Kangrali, a suburb in Belgaum, received compliments from several quarters for ignoring, and thereby defeating, the intentions of miscreants who defiled a statue of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj on Tuesday.

Though they were hurt by the incident that led to tense moments for sometime, the residents chose to ignore the incident as they felt that miscreants were back at their old game of causing linguistic tension between Marathi and Kannada-speaking people and thereby creating trouble.

The police also acted swiftly and rushed to spot with additional forces to ensure that there was no law and order problem after the incident was reported to the APMC Police Station. Assistant Commissioner Vijaykumar Torgal visited the spot and held discussions with former Mayors Malojirao Ashtekar, Shivaji Sunthakar and other leaders of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi and appealed to them to ensure peace.

The police brought a few garlands and put them around the statue of the Shivaji Maharaj.

Later, Bharatiya Janata Party workers led by Sanjay Patil, vice-president of the city unit, and general secretary Sanjeev Hanamsagar, staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and demanded arrest of miscreants responsible for defiling the statue.

They said steps had to be taken to prevent such incidents in the city and district. It may be recalled that a similar incident took place when B. Dayanand was Superintendent of Police.

He came down heavily on criminals from the underworld and mischievous elements who attempted to create communal problems in the city and other parts of Belgaum district.

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