Four injured in communal clash in Bagalkot district

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Tension prevailed in the Kerur town in Badami taluk, Bagalkot district after four persons were injured in a group clash near the bus stand on Wednesday night.

At least ten push carts and five vehicles were torched by angry mobs. J.B. Majjigi, Tahsildar, Badami, has clamped prohibitory orders under CrPC 144 from Wednesday night to Friday night. All schools and colleges in the town will remain closed on Thursday and Friday.

Arun Kattimani, Lakshman Kattimani and Chungi Yamanur received stab wounds. Bande Nawaz Gokak received a head injury. All four are admitted to a local hospital and are said to be out of danger.

S. Jayaprakash, Superintendent of Police, and P. Sunil Kumar, Deputy commissioner, visited the town, and the police have taken five persons into custody.

An official release from the Tahsildar office said that a verbal duel between Arun Kattimani and Yasin Pendari turned into an incident of communal violence.

While the police maintain that a street harassment incident involving a woman led to the clash, some others argue that the fight was over a social media post by a woman doctor.

The doctor allegedly posted a message opposing former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s statement against Prophet Mohammad, questioning the inaction against her. This allegedly angered members of a right-wing group who went to the police seeking the arrest of the doctor. The local police did not entertain them and refused to register an FIR.

Arun Kattimani was part of the group that tried to file a complaint against the doctor. Another group took objection to this and questioned Arun why he went to the police. That led to a fight, a police officer on the condition of anonymity said.

“My son Arun was the district secretary of a Hindutva organisation. He would often go to police stations and other offices to resolve disputes and protect young boys who were being falsely accused of a crime,’’ Ramanna Kattimani said at the hospital where the victims were admitted. “They targeted my son as they want to stop the rise of Hindutva forces in Kerur,’’ he added.

P. Kumar Swami, Hindu Jagaran Vedike leader, has sought action against the accused, threatening direct action otherwise.



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