Muslim group objected to Veer Savarkar portrait at a shopping mall and tried to keep Tipu Sultan’s image in its place. This led to verbal duel with another group.

B Upendran | HENB | Shivamogga | Aug 15, 2022:: Communally-sensitive Shivamogga city in Karnataka is tense again after a group of youths removed the portrait of VD Savarkar kept at Amir Ahmed Circle on the occasion of the Independence Day celebration. The incident forced the authorities to impose Section 144 of CrPC for three days.

Few hours after PM Modi referred Veer Savarkar as a Hero of Freedom Movement in his Independence speech from the ramparts of Red Fort, a section of Muslim youths showed their annoyance over the portrait of Savarkar in Shivamogga.

Two days back, there was a verbal duel over keeping of Savarkar’s portrait among the portraits of several freedom fighters at a shopping mall in the city. The row resurfaced after a group noticed Savarkar’s portrait kept at the junction. This time it took a violent turn.

One group objected to the portrait and tried to place the portrait of Tipu Sultan. This led to verbal duel between two groups associated with two communities. Later, the group removed Savarkar’s portrait after the police reportedly stopped them from keeping Tipu’s portrait. The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the groups.

The police forces are deployed at the circle. The taluk administration has imposed Section 144 of CrPC for three days to maintain peace. SP BM Laxmi Prasad and other senior officers are monitoring the situation.

Shivamogga SP BM Laxmi Prasad told TOI that the prohibitory orders will be in place till the situation returns to normalcy. He said one youth Prem Singh, who hails from Rajasthan, has been stabbed. He is shifted to the McGann Hospital and undergoing treatment, he stated.

From sources, it is divulged that the Tipu Sultan supporters were wielded with iron rods and sticks etc. It is also reported the protesters against Savarkar portrait were shouting ‘Allah ho Akbar’ and other Islamic slogans.

Following tension in Shivamogga, prohibitory orders were also clamped in Bhadravathi, the industrial town, which is located 20 kms from Shivamogga as some groups took out a protest rally there.

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__Inputs from TNIE | ANI | TOI.