Minor incidents of violence mar Shivamogga bandh

Barring a few stray incidents of violence, the city bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to protest the communal clash and murder of Vishwanath Shetty, evoked good response on Saturday.

However, an attack on Friday night and a murder in the early hours of Saturday prompted the police to enforce a prohibitory order under Section 144.

By and large, the bandh was peaceful. All educational institutes, business establishments, government offices and cinema halls remained closed. Police personnel were deployed across the city to prevent any untoward incident. However, a goods carrier was torched by miscreants on Sagar Road. Fire fighters rushed to the spot and doused the flames.

The attack on a veterinary doctor, Jayakanth, by a four-member group on Friday night at Gondichatnahalli in the taluk and the murder of Manjunath, 24, by unidentified persons in the wee hours of Saturday in the city re-kindled tension. Prompted by this, the police enforced a prohibitory order in the city under Section 144. They announced the same over loudspeaker and said the people should follow the order without fail.

According to the Shivamogga rural police, the group attacked the doctor, who serves at Hadonahalli, while he was heading towards the city. He is undergoing treatment at the Nanjappa Life Care Hospital in the city.

The government has announced a compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh to the kin of Manjunath, who worked in a wine shop in the city. It is not clear whether the attack and murder were communally motivated.

BJP leaders led by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa staged a protest in the district police office premises, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the communal clash and murder. The innocent Hindus who were arrested should be released, they said.