Section 144 Imposed In Karnataka City Amid Border Dispute With Maharashtra. Details Here

Section 144 is imposed from 8 am on 18 December to 6 pm on 19 December, for Belagavi police commissionerate area, which comprises Belagavi taluk

Bengaluru: Following two untoward incidents of vandalism of vandalisation of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna’s statue and hurling stones at government vehicles in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, the administration has issued prohibitory orders in the city and taluk on Saturday. As per Belagavi Police Commissioner’s office, the prohibitory order has been imposed under Section 144 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

“Section 144 is imposed from 8 am on 18 December to 6 pm on 19 December, for Belagavi police commissionerate area, which comprises Belagavi taluk,” said Police Commissioner’s office

Earlier today, miscreants vandalised around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi. Police have also arrested around 27 people for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue in the district. 27 arrested in 3 police station limits in Belagavi for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue,” said K Tyagarajan, commissioner of police, Belagavi.

Speaking on the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that responsible people should not provoke others for violence and take law and order into their hands.

“As far as Karnataka is concerned we will not allow anybody to take the law into their hands. Responsible people shouldn’t provoke anybody. Shivaji Maharaj, Sangolli Rayanna and Rani Chennamma united the country. If we start fighting in their name, it’ll be an injustice to the fight by them,” said the Chief Minister.

Tension erupted in Belagavi after a purported video went viral that showed some miscreants pouring black ink statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru. Following this, Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) followers gathered in Belagavi and protested against the Karnataka government at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk. Police intervened and brought the situation under control, official sources said.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said police have been directed to take merciless action against those involved in such act, and an FIR has been registered in connection with the incidents and some arrests have been made. “Police have been asked to see to it that such incidents don’t repeat. Both Marathi and Kannada speaking people are living peacefully in Belagavi, but some miscreants are trying to disturb and vitiate the atmosphere,” he said, while urging that no one should use stalwarts like Sangolli Rayaanna or Shivaji Maharaj for petty politics in the name of any community or language.