Surathkal calm but tense

Barring two separate incidents of assault on two youth, no untoward incidents were reported from the Surathkal-Katipalla region on Thursday.

While Mudassir suffered head injuries after he was attacked around 9.30 pm near Govinda Dasa college in Surathkal, Basheer was stabbed in his neck and chest around 11.30 pm on Wednesday.

The police said Basheer was lying in a pool of blood for about 20 minutes until an ambulance driver noticed him and admitted him to a hospital.

His condition is critical, said Police Commissioner T R Suresh.

The VHP, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagaran Vedike and BJP leaders were planning a funeral procession for slain BJP activist Deepak Rao from A J Hospital to Surathkal.

But before they could arrive, the police shifted Rao's body to his residence from the rear entrance of the hospital.

Soon, all the leaders rushed to Rao's residence at Janata Colony in Surathkal and demanded the body be taken back to the hospital and brought home in a procession.

The protesters demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation to Rao's kin. They also wanted a ban on PFI and SDPI and refused to take Rao's body from the ambulance till their demands were met.

All efforts by the commissioner and DCP Hanumantharaya went in vain and the body lay inside the ambulance for about three hours.

The protesters also wanted the home minister to visit the spot.

Deputy Commissioner C Sasikanth Senthil met Rao's mother and held a brief meeting with VHP leader Gopal, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, former minister J Krishna Palemar and BJP BC Morcha general secretary Satyajit Surathkal.

Later, he announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to Rao's family.

When the leaders refused to accept the compensation, Senthil announced that he would give another Rs 5 lakh from the CM's special relief fund and assured to pay the amount by Thursday evening, besides providing necessary help to the family.

Gopal, too, tried to convince the protesters and they finally relented.

The deputy commissioner allowed the protesters to take out a procession from Rao's home till the crematorium (less than 1 km).

The last rites were performed around 2.30 pm. A total bandh was observed in Surathkal-Katipalla region.