Youth stabbed during group clash in Bagepalli

Houses damaged, police heighten alert in town

A war of words between the two groups in the night took the form of a clash by late night. A youth was stabbed in the incident. He is stated to be out of danger.

A number of houses and two wheelers were completely damaged in the incident. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the clashing  mobs.

They have registered cases against members of both the groups. Police have heightened alert in the town and brought the situation under control.

Background of the incident

Dr Abdul Suban, hailing from Chitradurga district and who works at the Goolur government hospital, resides with his family in the Noorani Masjid Mohalla, behind the government first grade college.
 
Suban belongs to the Ahale Hadis sect, which has a distinct system of prayers.
For the past few days, Suban had been inviting others in the community to join his sect.

Members of this sect had been coming to the Masjid and offering prayers in their own style. This led to resentment among the others.

Though Dr Suban was told about the same, he reportedly refused to change his ways and also  said that he would build a separate mosque for his sect.

Members of the community invited the families of the sect for a ‘nyaya panchayat’ at the Masjid. But they refused to come and instead, abused those who came to invite them.

This led the community members to throw stones at homes of the families of the sect. The mob threw stones also at the house of Rizwan Pasha, who went to mediate on behalf of the sect. Pasha’s two-wheeler was also damaged in the incident. The homes of other members of the sect were also attacked.

Pasha’s son Sadiq Akram was stabbed in the incident. He has been taken to Bangalore for treatment. Cases have  been filed against Dr Suban, Pasha, Shah Jahan, Bashir, Akbar and Siddiq, police said.

Scribes protest

Journalists in the town held a protest in front of the town police station condemning Deputy Superintendent of Police H T Duggappa’s behaviour towards them, on Thursday.

The protesters said that the officer’s behaviour towards journalists who were trying to obtain information with regard to the clash, was uncalled for. At this, Duggappa tendered apology. Later, the journalists withdrew the stir.