BANTWAL(DK DISTRICT) : The communally sensitive district of Dakshina Kannada is on the edge following RSS worker Sharath Madivala’s death on Friday in Bantwal and the stabbing of another RSS worker in Mangaluru taluk on Saturday.
Chiranjeevi (24) was stabbed by miscreants around 9.50pm on Saturday at Kuttar in Ullal police station limits in Mangaluru taluk. He is said to have been attacked by three bike-borne men. Earlier in the day, one person, Riaz, was stabbed during the funeral procession of Madivala, also a victim of stabbing, in Bantwal. On Friday, two youths were stabbed at Adyar Katte. The district has witnessed five cases of stabbing in as many days.
In Bantwal, police lathicharged mobs that went berserk during the funeral procession of Madivala (28). The RSS worker, who was stabbed by unidentified people on July 4, succumbed to his injuries at AJ Hospital on Friday. His body was taken in a procession from the hospital to his hometown Kanduru in Bantwal taluk. Hundreds joined the procession.
Police said trouble started when the procession reached B C Road, where Madivala had his laundry shop, and some people started pelting stones from nearby buildings. Riaz was stabbed and seven vehicles were damaged. Police took five persons into custody. But the situation went out of control and the police had to resort to lathicharge.
Following Madivala’s death, over 1,000 men from Karnataka State Armed Reserve, District Armed Reserve and civil police have been deployed. Prohibitory orders are in force till July 11 in Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia and Belthangady following communal clashes.
Meanwhile, MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje have been booked for violating prohibitory orders on Friday.
Shobha Karandlaje told Express, “I have no doubt that the government is abetting communal clashes in Dakshina Kannada for political gains.”