After a controversial video went viral on social media of a boy hoisting the saffron flag in Karnataka's Shivamogga by removing the national tricolour flag, Shivamogga SP BM Laxmi Prasad has issued a statement saying that the saffron flag was hoisted but there was no national flag on the pole that was removed.
"There was a report that the national flag was lowered & in place of that a saffron flag was put up but there was no national flag on the pole. Only a saffron flag was hoisted on top of the pole & later they removed it themselves," news agency ANI quoted saying SP Laxmi Prasad.
According to media reports, the young man allegedly removed the tricolour on the pole and hoisted the saffron flag in its place. In the video, students standing below the pole are seen shouting slogans of Jai Shri Ram. Most of the students gathered there are waving saffron flags or stoles.
As the hijab-saffron shawl row turned violent in various parts of the city, prohibitory orders have been enforced under Section 144 of CrPC in Shivamogga for two days on Tuesday.
According to police, some students hurled stones at the government first-grade college at Bapujinagar in the city in which some students were injured.
They were staging a protest in the premises of the college demanding the authorities concerned either to permit them to attend classes wearing saffron shawls or ban the hijab. Some agitators hurled stones at the college in which some of them sustained minor injuries.
"They had reportedly pelted stones at private buses near the Junior college. Reports claimed that many students were injured in the stone-pelting," said police.
Meanwhile, a hearing regarding the matter is underway in the Karnataka High Court which is expected to announce a decision on the petition filed by college students over the ban on hijab in schools and colleges.
