Burqa-shawl row: Student assaulted in Shivamogga

A group of students attacked a student when the latter refused to remove the saffron shawl on the corridors of the government degree college here on Monday.

According to the college authorities, Sharath, a first-year BBM student, stepped into the college around 9 am wearing saffron shawl in protest against  girls wearing burqas in classrooms.

Noticing this, Muslim students of second year BBM asked him to remove the shawl. But Sharath refused to remove it and demanded that girls remove burqas in classrooms. This led to a tussle between them. The second-year students assaulted Sharath. Noticing this, a college staffer informed police, who rushed to the college and brought the situation under control. It is said Sharath sustained minor injuries.

Six students - Syed Ahmed, Faizullah Baig, Irshad, Sharath, Satish and Vinay - have been arrested in connection with the incident. But SP Abhinav Khare told DH that it was a minor fight and none was injured. Shivamogga police, on Sunday, registered suo motu cases against two youths for posting provocative messages and videos on WhatsApp pertaining to the controversy.