Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Karnataka, Alok Kumar paid a visit to both Haveri and Rattihalli districts where violence was witnessed yesterday. He visited areas where the stone pelting took place while persons from the residential local population expressed anguish at what transpired including making several complaints alleging that local cops were mute spectators to the incidents. Yesterday following a report in India Today, Sabrangindia had reported that sections of a procession forced itself into a Muslim-dominated locality and members reportedly of the Bajrang Dal even pelted stones at a Mosque and homes on the way. Haveri superintendent of police Shivakumar told the media today that around 100 people took a detour from a rally by Hindu outfits and pelted stones at the mosque and Muslim homes.
ADGP #AlokKumar arrives in #Haveri‘s #Rattihalli where violence was witnessed yesterday, visits areas where stone pelting took place while locals express their anguish to the top cop over what transpired & complain to him about cops being mute spectators to the incident. pic.twitter.com/PbnruEuW4F
— Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) March 15, 2023
Fifteen people had been detained on Tuesday, March 14, in Karnataka’s Haveri district after participants in a procession by Hindu outfits pelted stones at a mosque and homes of members of the Muslim community, according to reports. It all began with Hindu outfits taking out a bike rally with a statue of Sangolli Rayanna – a 19th-century military leader who fought against the East India Company – on March 14, said India Today. “When the procession crossed a Muslim neighbourhood, a few miscreants pelted stones at houses and a mosque,” the report added.
Haveri superintendent of police (SP) Shivakumar said in a video statement that around 100 people took a detour from the rally and pelted stones at the mosque and Muslim homes.
“There was police deployment during the procession and immediately the situation was brought under control,” Shivakumar said, according to India Today. He said that on March 9, a similar rally was “disrupted by a few members of the Muslim community”, which may “have triggered the people”.
Since police officers were deployed during the procession, those who engaged in stone pelting would be identified, he added.
The extremist outfits with visible saffron flags (some blue and lemon yellow flags are also visible in the video) were supposedly carrying out a bike rally with a statue of revolutionary Sangolli Rayanna. Why the police allowed such a rally within a Muslim dominated neighbourhood where a Mosque was situated is best known to the police. When the procession crossed a Muslim neighbourhood, a mobs from the procession pelted stones on houses and a mosque. There are also unconfirmed reports that some persons in the neighbourhood were threatened by processionists. A perusal of the video reveals that little has been done to stop or control the processionists.
2022 Last year, during Ganpathy celebrations, the procession had been disturbed and tensions had followed in the same Haveri area.
Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has been tracking the legal and statutory measures that need to be in place for socio-religious processions. Local police often ignore these strictly laid down standard operating procedures and guidelines leading to violence. (Background on Law related to Routes of Religio-Political Processions)
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