Davanagere: The Davangere police arrested 30 individuals in connection with the stone-pelting incident that occurred during the Ganesh murti immersion procession. The arrests were made following a series of raids conducted by the police, under the leadership of SP Uma Prashant, who swiftly took action to control the situation.
The incident took place on the night of September 19 at Venkateswara Circle on Beturu Road, where tensions escalated as people from two communities clashed. The altercation began when slogans were shouted by members of one community as the Ganesha procession passed through the area. In response, members of another group began throwing stones, injuring two police constables, Annapoorna and Raghu, who were on duty. The injured officers were admitted to the district hospital for treatment.
In the aftermath of the riot, local shops were shut down, and additional police forces were deployed to prevent further escalation. SP Uma Prashant and her team took swift action to disperse the crowd, using batons to restore order. The situation has since returned to normal, and businesses in the area have resumed their regular operations.
Following the stone-pelting incident, a group of 50 to 60 miscreants ransacked homes in the Anekonda layout area, damaging vehicles parked outside residences. This led to widespread fear among residents, who spent the night in anxiety, criticizing the police for their inability to prevent the violence. Residents of the Mattikallu area also expressed concerns about the law enforcement’s handling of the situation.
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The background of this altercation stems from an incident five days earlier, during which there was a dispute over the display of the Muharram flag. Hindu leaders had protested against the Nagamangala stone-pelting incident and the display of a Palestinian flag during the Eid Milad procession. This led to provocative remarks from other community , with a local Muslim leader challenging Hindu activists to come to Beturu Road. As tensions simmered, these verbal altercations culminated in violence during the Ganesha procession.
The procession, which passed through Aralimara Circle, saw a large gathering of Muslims near the site. Slogans of “Islam Zindabad” were allegedly raised, which led to further unrest. Stone pelting ensued, and tensions flared once again near KAR Road and Hamsabavi Circle. However, local Muslim leaders helped control the situation, preventing it from spiraling out of control.
In response to the stone pelting, pro-Hindu activists demanded that the perpetrators be arrested immediately. SP Uma Prashant personally intervened to disperse the crowds, and the situation has now been brought under control.
IGP Ramesh Banoth, speaking to the media, confirmed the arrests and assured the public that peace would be restored. He said, “During the Ganesha procession, there was stone-pelting by miscreants. SP Uma Prashant quickly responded, and necessary actions were taken. We have identified and arrested 30 individuals in connection with the case, and five more cases of stone-pelting on houses and the public have been registered.”
The IGP further added that the atmosphere in the city has now stabilized, and peace meetings are being organized to ensure harmony between the communities. “We are speeding up operations to track down all those involved, and strict actions will be taken against the culprits who disturb the peace,” he said.
Regarding the collection of empty beer bottles by the miscreants, ten people have also been arrested. “We have CCTV footage of individuals involved in bringing beer bottles to the scene. Strict action will be taken against them,” IGP Banoth emphasized.
With the situation now under control, the authorities have decided against imposing Section 144 prohibitory orders for the time being. However, the police are keeping a close watch on social media to prevent the spread of inflammatory messages. The Ganesh murti immersion was completed peacefully after the initial disturbances, and the police are continuing to investigate the events leading up to the violence.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging the public to cooperate in maintaining peace and order in the city.
