Prohibitory orders have been enforced in Bagalkot city, Karnataka, due to tensions arising from a stone-pelting incident during the Shivaji Jayanti procession. The incident occurred near a mosque in the Killa Oni area. Police have implemented these orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in specific localities like Old Bagalkot, Navanagar, and Vidyagiri, effective until midnight on December 24.
Amid the situation, restrictions include a ban on gatherings of more than four people in public areas, carrying dangerous weapons, engaging in activities that threaten public safety, holding unauthorized meetings or events, and staging protests. Security measures have been heightened in the city, with additional personnel deployed near key locations like the Panka Mosque and the Kottaleshwara temple to prevent further incidents.
Following the stone-pelting, Hindu activists have expressed discontent over the lack of arrests related to the incident. They have raised concerns about the message being conveyed if no action is taken despite the Superintendent of Police being injured. Some activists staged a protest and threatened to escalate their actions if the accused individuals are not apprehended.
Authorities reported that miscreants threw stones and slippers at the procession, resulting in injuries to Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal and a Hindu activist. The incident occurred just as the procession was about to conclude. Subsequently, some pushcarts, mainly owned by minority community vendors, were set on fire. Bagalkot SP Siddharth Goyal assured that the situation is under control, with efforts underway to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
