By Team Mangalorean- Mangalore

Latest Update 11:45pm (IST), Oct 7, 2006

Mangalore Oct 7:  Fresh violence have been reported from Mermajal near Farangipet where four members were reportedly stabbed and sustained serious injuries. With one more death reported in Addoor Polali today evening, the total toll in the violence has gone up to two so far. Person died in Polali Addoor incident as reported earlier, has been identified as Ibrahim (36), who was grievously injured and died later.

DGP BS Sial at Dist Police Headquarters - Mangalore

Curfew in the city, Mangalore rural police limits, Konaje and Ullal will continue till 1900 hours tomorrow. As reported earlier by our correspondents, curfew may be relaxed on Sunday morning between 9 am to 11 am.

Home Minister MP Prakash had last night said the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, VHP, Rama Sena and Hindu Jagran Vedike could be involved in fomenting the communal trouble.

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said the home department is ascertaining whether SIMI activists had any role in the violence, which erupted after Bajrang Dal activists stopped a vehicle carrying cattle to a slaughter house on Wednesday.

Karnataka Police chief BS Sial, who is camping here, said a meeting will be held on Sunday morning to decide whether curfew should be relaxed.

Sial said the situation would be brought to normal within 24 hours but added that prohibitory orders under section 144 CRPC would remain for a few more days as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile the body of Mr. Gaffoor, was handed over to his family. Mr Gaffoor was a Muslim cleric and resident of Sullia had died of stab injuries in an attack in Bejai.

Sullia town was tense following his death.

(Additional inputs from PTI & DHNS)

Updated 9:30pm (IST), Oct 7, 2006

An ugly incident on an otherwise calm day has been reported from Polali - Addoor area this evening, where miscreants torched a ambulance. In another incident of group clashes 7 people have been seriously injured. While 5 of them were admitted to private hospital in Mangalore, other 2 have been admitted to a hospital in BC Road. One person who was injured in group clash is reportedly succumbed to injuries at A.J.Hospital.

It is also reported that about 3000 people have gathered near the Polali Dwara thus creating a very tense situation.

SP Dayanand has visited the place and is overseeing the security arrangements. There is no report of any breach of security in any other place. More updates will be provided as and when available.

Update 7:30pm (IST), Oct 7, 2006

 In the just concluded press conference held by District Incharge Minister Shri Nagaraj Shetty at Circuit House, it was announced that situation in the whole district is fully under control and no incidence of violence has been reported today. Additional police forces have arrived and adaquate security arrangements have been made. For the time being Curfew will be continued through the night and depending on the situation, curfew may be relaxed tomorrow morning between 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

District administration has made adaquate arrangements for food supply in all the hospitals and there is no cause for concern in this regard.

For any emergency regarding medical supplies and blood, people are requested to contact Home Guard Commandent Shivaprasad Rai on Tel. 9845-151575. For the outstation passengers held up at airport, railway station and bus stand, transport facility will be made available by Circle Inspector of Police Manjunath Shetty, who can be contacted on Tel. 0824-2220511.

Already 5 buses have been provided at the airport for the transport of passengers arriving on the direct Dubai-Mangalore flight.
 
On the question of Home Minster's comment on SIMI's involovement in the violence, Mr. Shetty informed that Government's immediate priority is to stop viloence and restore peace in the effected areas. All measures will be taken to find out whoever is invlolved behind the clashes.
 
Mr. Nagaraj Shetty was accompanied in the press conference by Minority commission chairman Mr. K.S. Masood, MLC Mr. Abdul Aziz, MLC Capt. Karnik and MLA Mr. Yogesh Bhat.

IGP Sial said that curfew will be relaxed tomorrow depending upon the situation review by SP Dayananda.

Mangalore slowly limping back to normalcy; BS Sial Visits tensed areas

Update 4:30pm (IST), Oct 7, 2006

Mangalore is very much in the news.  The riots and clashes that took place over the weekend have brought the small town of Mangalore into the limelight but for all the wrong reasons. 

As we reported earlier at 12:15 pm the situation in Mangalore city is limping back to normal thanks to the vigilant police making their rounds around the city. An uneasy calm pervades over the city as the police have brought the situation under control. The people are however still tensed and afraid to venture out.

DGP Sial visited the tension filled areas where violence had occurred earlier.

BS Sial visited tensed areas

Update at 12:15pm (IST), Oct 7, 2006

Addressing the media at the Police Headquarters in Mangalore, Director-General and Inspector-General of Police BS Sial confirmed that one person had died, 70 were injured and 177 clash related arrests have been made so far. 

An additional 112 arrests have been made on precautionary measures. 

He also said that extra police forces will be deployed from Mysore, Chamarajanagar and other districts.

Karnataka Director General of Police BS Sial and ADGP Subhash Barani have both arrived in the city and are in the district police head quarters.  An Emergency meeting of all police officers and district authorities has been called.

They will be visiting all the tense areas in and around Mangalore.

One Stabbed to death; curfew in Mangalore

Update: 10:00AM IST, Oct 7. 2006

Although Mangalore showed signs of normalcy late on Friday night after the curfew was imposed in certain parts of the districts including Mangalore rural police limits, Konaje and Ullal, the violence took an ugly turn early morning today.  A certain person called Gaffoor was stabbed to death near Ane Gundi in Bejai following which curfew is declared in Mangalore city for the first time today after violence broke out 3 days ago. Gaffoor was stabbed on Friday night and succumbed to injuries today morning at A.J. Hospital.

Police vans are driving around the city of Mangalore announcing the imposing of curfew. It is also learnt that Karnataka Director General of Police BS Sial is visiting Mangalore shortly.

People are requested to remain indoors and cooperate with the district administration in maintaining peace and order in the district. Massive deployment of Patrol Officers and Striking forces has been made in all strategic places and strict vigil is kept.

For the people of Mangalore it is unusual and alarming to hear the sound of sirens echoeing in the city.  The police are having their hands full trying to restore a semblance of normalcy, first in the outskirts of the city and now within the city limits.

Earlier late on friday night Home minister M. P. Prakash had declared shoot at sight orders to control the situation.

Home minister issues shoot-at-sight order

Home minister M P Prakash, late on Friday night issued shootat-sight orders in the communal trouble-hit areas of Dakshina Kannada district, including Mangalore urban and rural police limits, Konaje and Ullal.

Disclosing this at a late night press conference in Bangalore after reviewing the situation with DG & IGP B S Sial, Home Minister M P Prakash said the district administration had been told to crack down on anti-social elements provoking communal violence, looting and arson. With several police battalions from Dakshina Kannada now deployed in Chikmagalur in the wake of Datta Mala abhiyan, anti-social elements and "outside forces" are trying to take advantage of the situation by spreading communal violence, he stated.

Hence, the government had asked ADGP (Law & order) M Shankar Bidri, who was camping in Chikmagalur, to rush to Mangalore. Four companies each of the RAF and CRPF and 24 platoons of KSRPF have been deployed in Dakshina Kannada district. In Mangalore 25 platoons of KSRP would also be deployed, the Mr Prakash said.

The situation is under control in most of the trouble-hit areas, Mr Prakash claimed, and 80 persons have been arrested in Mangalore, while more than 60 were arrested from Ullal alone. The Home Minister also said the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is suspected to be involved in spreading communal violence.

The role of the Hindu Jagaran Sangha, Srirama Sene and Vishwa Hindu Parishad too had been suspected, he added.

A son of a prominent politician in Ullal was behind the communal trouble in that area, Mr Prakash alleged, but desisted from naming the politician.

He lashed out at the Opposition parties which are trying to link the Datta Jayanthi row with communal violence.

Instead, the Opposition should play a constructive role by giving a call to people to maintain communal harmony, Mr Prakash suggested.

Minister blames vested interests

District in-charge minister B Nagaraj Shetty on Friday alleged that groups with vested interest were behind the violence which has erupted in the district. He said such disturbances would only hinder the progress of the district which is poised for exponential growth in all spheres.

Shetty said that bandhs would not provide solution to any problem but only allow miscreants and anti-social elements to take advantage of the situation. Speaking to reporters after assessing the overall situation in the district, he said except Ullal and adjoining areas, the situation in the rest of the city and the district as a whole was under control.

Stating that the district administration had adequate police force to combat the outbreak of violence, he said that additional force was sought through the home ministry. "Stern action will be taken against all those involved in instigating tension in the district," he warned, adding that normality will be restored on a war footing. Thankfully, there has been no loss of life in any of the incidents anywhere, he remarked, appealing to the people of the district to foster communal harmony. Former police officer and JD(S) MLC Abdul Azim said self policing was the need of the hour and peace committees have to be activated.

(With additional inputs from DHNS)

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