Uneasy calm in Mangaluru a day after police firing

The city by and large remained peaceful with no untoward incident being reported on Friday.

As a precautionary measure, the police had strengthened security in the sensitive areas in Mangaluru police commissionerate jurisdiction. The arterial roads teeming with vehicles wore a deserted look for most part of the day.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Dr P S Harsha said the curfew was relaxed for two hours between 12 noon and 2 pm, following requests from a community to offer prayers.

“The decision to relax curfew in order to help public buy essentials on Saturday will be taken after a review of the situation’’, Dr Harsha said.

ADGP B Dayananda, who had earlier served as Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of police during the 2006 infamous riots, superintendent of police were also was deputed by the higher-ups to assist police in monitoring the situation. Five civilians and 33 policemen injured.

The police have begun investigation into the anti-Citizenship (Ammendment) Act (CAA) protest that had turned violent and left two men dead. As many as seven men were arrested and seven cases were booked in South and North police stations, Dr Harsha said.Responding to a query, the police commissioner said five more men, who injured during the rampage, were being treated in a private hospital.

‘Govt-sponsored unrest’

‘’As many as 33 policemen who had sustained grievous injuries are also being treated in hospitals’’, he said.

On Friday, an alleged video of Kadri police station Inspector Shantaram wondering on why the civilian casualties were not high despite firing many rounds of bullets had gone viral on social media. Responding to the video, former chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted that the video revealed that it was a government-sponsored unrest.

“The firing at the crowd was intentional and not in self-defence as claimed by police’’, he tweeted.

Mediapersons sent back

Earlier in the day, eight mediapersons from neighbouring Kerala were detained and sent back to the state.

The commissioner defended the decision to detain mediapersons in District Wenlock Hospital and clarified that during a
curfew the identity of a person needs to be verified for their own safety.

Replying to a query, he said the video clipping of the conversation between policemen had not come to his notice. Harsha did not respond to queries on policemen barging into a hospital in order to round-up protesters who had thrown stones at a bus.

Holiday extended

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh has extended the holiday to all educational institutions, including anganwadi centres, across the district to December 21. The liquor shops, bar and restaurants too have been asked to down shutters on Saturday.