CAA protest turns violent in Belagavi, buses stoned

A NWKRTC bus damaged in the stone pelting after a few protesters went berserk in Belagavi on Tuesday.

Tension gripped Shivajinagar in the city on Tuesday when a protest rally, called by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens, turned violent.

The protest rally which commenced from Ashok Circle and culminated at the deputy commissioner’s office, was peaceful on the stretch. But a while later a few agitators went berserk and resorted to stone pelting near RTO Circle in the sensitive Shivajinagar area. A few vehicles, including a NWKRTC bus, and an ATM kiosk was damaged in the stone-pelting.

Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. A manhunt has been launched to identify and arrest the persons, who attempted to create law and order problems.

Police Commissioner B S Lokeshkumar told DH, “We have clues about those who tried to create law and order problems by resorting to stone pelting. We will soon arrest them.”

Protests against Citizenship Amendment Act in Vijayapura city, Devarahippargi in the district, and Ballari town on Tuesday were largely peaceful.