Curfew clamped in Shimoga after two killed in communal flare up

The authorities imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew in four trouble-hit localities in old Shimoga, hometown of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.While one died in police firing, the other succumbed to injuries sustained in stone-pelting in hospital, police said.

A 1500-strong crowd took out a procession to express their anger over the Kannada translation of Taslima's article published on Sunday in a leading Kannada daily on burqa tradition.

The procession turned violent as some persons pelted stones on vehicles. At least 20 vehicles, including eight state transport corporation buses, were damaged.Police said as the situation threatened to go out of control, they opened fire, killing a person. Police said four others injured in stone-pelting have been hospitalised.

Prohibitory orders was also imposed on the entire city and additional reinforcements of police rushed, Superintendent of Police S Murugan said.Hassan was also tense after 15,000 Muslims held a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

Several vehicles were damaged in stone-pelting and some shops were torched, police said.
Yeddyurappa, who made a suo motu statement in the state assembly on the violence in Shimoga and Hassan, said "the situation is under control now".

He said cases have been booked against those involved in violence. Sensing trouble over the article, the police heads in all districts were alerted on Sunday itself, he said, adding a strict vigil was being maintained.

The Bangalore City Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr.PC in the city for five days from today as a precautionary measure.The ban orders will be in force till the midnight of March five, City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said in a notification here.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Rehman Khan asked the government to take action against all those who published "provocative articles hurting the religious sentiments" without naming any publication.

In a statement faxed from Delhi, Khan, who hails from the city, appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony and not to take law into their hands