K'taka Ganesh Visarjan violence: Bandh in Maddur, Minister to hold peace meet today

Mandya, Sep 9 (IANS) A total bandh was being observed in Maddur town of Karnataka's Mandya district on Tuesday, condemning the attack on the Ganesh Visarjan procession and the lathicharge on protesting Hindu activists.

Shops and establishments remained closed in Maddur town, and more than 1,500 policemen were deployed to maintain law and order.

Minister for Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy, who is in charge of Mandya district, will be holding a peace committee meeting in Maddur town at 3 p.m. in a convention hall in the town.

Speaking to the media, Mallikarjun Baladandin, Superintendent of Police in Mandya district, stated, "The police department has initiated several measures to ensure peace and maintain law and order in Maddur town, in the backdrop of Sunday night’s stone-pelting incident during the Ganesh Visarjan event, and the protest and procession by Hindu activists on Monday. The prohibitory orders continue on Tuesday, and the sale of liquor has been banned until tomorrow."

"In light of the bandh, the police are on high alert for any provocations and are taking steps to prevent untoward incidents. Additional security arrangements have been made, and patrolling has been intensified. Sensitive points are being closely monitored," the SP stated.

"Four SPs, four Additional SPs, 15 Deputy SPs, 30 police inspectors, and 800 police personnel have been deployed. In addition, 15 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and 10 platoons of District Armed Reserve (DAR) have been posted in Maddur," SP Baladandin added.

Regarding the stone-pelting incident, the SP stated that the police have prepared a list of 26 individuals who participated in the act, and 22 have already been arrested. The hunt is on for the remaining four. "The accused have been sent to judicial custody and will be brought back into police custody for additional investigation," he stated.

"They will be interrogated to determine who provoked them and whether other elements were involved. All participants have been taken into custody, except for four who remain at large. We are examining CCTV footage and video recordings to trace the movements of individuals during the stone pelting," he added.

When asked about reports of swords being flashed and matches being lit during the procession of Hindu activists in Maddur by local residents, he stated, "There is no CCTV footage available to confirm this. The teams are continuing their investigation, and action will be taken as soon as evidence is available."

--IANS

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