‘Whether it’s Hindu or Muslim, action will be taken against guilty’: Minister Cheluvarayaswamy

MANDYA: Following the riots that broke out over allegations of stone-pelting and throwing petrol bombs at a Ganesha idol immersion procession on Wednesday in Nagamangala, Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said that action will be taken against anyone who created the rift irrespective of religious groups, caste or community.

Minister Cheluvarayaswamy with textile trader Bhimrao, whose shop was burnt, causing losses of Rs 1.5 crore.

“We don’t give any importance to any community or caste, whether it’s Hindu or Muslim; action will be taken against those who created such a rift”, Cheluvarayaswamy said on Thursday. Earlier, the minister visited Nagamangala and inspected the site where violence broke out on Wednesday. Following his visit, Cheluvarayaswamy said that the situation currently is peaceful there and that the Revenue Department and police will do a survey and assess the damages and will submit the reports by this evening.

“The situation is peaceful now. Some shops and motorcycles have suffered damage…Several shopkeepers have also filed complaints. The Revenue Department and police will survey and assess the damage and submit a report by today evening. I will take the report to the CM so that compensation can be given”, he said.

Petrol bombs were thrown at the procession.

As per Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr Kumar, till now, 54 people have been arrested in this incident and probationary orders have been imposed with schools and colleges shut today. “The present situation is under control. We have deployed sufficient force and taken all precautionary measures. We have imposed probationary orders and declared a holiday for schools and colleges today. So far, 54 people have been arrested in this incident. We are assessing the damage” ,he said.

As per Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi, the incident took place when the Ganapati procession stopped and people started dancing in front of a dargah for five to seven minutes. Following this, the people from the other group of people came and told the procession to leave, which resulted in a word exchange but the police cleared the situation between these two groups.

Police patrol the streets of Nagamangala on Thursday morning after the riots.

This led to the group who were part of the Ganapati procession holding a protest in front of the Nagamangala police station, blaming the police for not allowing them to continue with their procession. The police tried to convince the group and also allowed them to continue with their Ganesh immersion procession, SP Baladandi added.

The SP further said that during that time, many from both sides gathered and threw stones at each other and the police had to interfere again. When the groups were returning, they set shops and bikes on fire. As per the Mandya SP, seven bikes and six small shops were burnt and a total of 15 bikes and a car were slightly damaged during the whole incident. (ANI)