KALABURAGI: Four people have been arrested for defacing a bust of Dr B R Ambedkar at Kotanur Layout on Monday night. The arrested are Kiran, Hanamath, Manu and Congress leader Sangappa aka Sangamesh.
Sangamesh is a Congress leader Gulbarga South Assembly constituency. His arrest in the case has led to suspicions whether the Congress itself had planned to stoke tensions. The arrested were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
On Monday night, the Ambedkar statue at Kotanur Layout was found with a garland of footwear, leading to Dalit groups staging protest and blocking the road at SVP Circle. They also pelted stones at a petrol bunk and forced commercial establishments to down their shutters.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kannika Sikriwal later placed a garland on the bus to placate the protesters.