BELAGAVI: Ten activists of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti have been arrested for creating a ruckus during a wedding procession and even assaulting the bridge and groom over playing a Kannada song. The incident occurred at Dhamane village on the outskirts of the city on Thursday night. One person was seriously injured and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The wedding ceremony was being conducted at the house of Saibanna at Dhamane village. The bride and groom were being brought home in a procession. Guests and villagers were dancing the the Kannada song ‘Karunade’, with Kannada flags, when MES activists Ajay Yellurkar, Akash and eight others barged into the house and assaulted the people. Five persons, including the bride and groom, were injured in the incident.
Based on a complaint from the groom Siddu, the Belagavi Rural police have arrested 10 persons and deployed personnel at the village.
Three days ago, a Marathi board with the name of ‘Dharmaveera Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar’ was installed in front another Kannada board with the name ‘Kittur Rani Chennamma Nagar’ which was installed two months ago. It is said that there were tensions between the Kannada and Marathi groups over this.
On Friday, members of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike and family members of the bride and groom staged a protest and raised slogans against the MES. They also submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner Dr Boralingaiah demanding that the MES anti-social elements should be externed from the district.