Timely action prevented Aland incident from spiraling into major crisis, says police

A few outsiders might have joined the stone-pelting, police said

Aland incident that took place on Tuesday looks like pre-planned. Timely action taken by the district administration and the police has prevented the incident from spiraling into a major crisis, Superintendent of Police Isha Pant.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Deputy Commissioner Yeshwanth V Gurukar here on Friday, she said the police have clues about who instigated stone-pelting on the vehicles and will arrest them soon. We have videos and photos about those who pelted stones at the vehicles and stocked wooden logs at Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland.

A few outsiders might have joined the stone-pelting. Cutting across party and religion lines, a total of 165 people including women and children have been arrested in this connection. Some others are absconding and we will arrest them soon. Roiting, Section 353 and prevention of damage to public property have been registered against the arrested, explained Isha.

A cognizance report has been submitted to the court against 200 people who took out a rally by violating the prohibitory orders clamped under section 144 of CrPC. Aland tahsildar has submitted the report under section 188 of IPC, she said.

On a suspicion that an untoward incident may take place on Tuesday, the district administration had clamped prohibitory orders in Aland from February 27. Police personnel began patrolling on February 28. As we found stones on the terraces of the house the same day, they have been cleared and an FIR has been registered against those who stocked the stones. As a preventive measure, a total of 900 police personnel were deployed in the town. Hence, we prevented the incident from spiraling into a major crisis, he told.

When 21 people were returning after offering pooja to Raghavachaitanya Linga inside the dargah, some miscreants hurled stones but the mob has been dispersed in just two minutes. However, some miscreants are spreading false information on social media about the incident. Stern action will be taken against them, she said.

Gurukar said as there were chances of two leaders delivering provocative speeches, the district administration had banned them from entering the district and Karuneshwar Mutt Pontiff Siddaling Swamy was barred from entering Aland taluk.

The district administration had called a peace meeting on February 24 and leaders of both Hindu and Muslim communities took part in it and they promised of maintaining peace. As some people gave uncalled-for statements, the situation turned into a tense, he explained.

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