Bagalkot: An incident of stone pelting was reported in Karnataka's Bagalkot on Thursday during a statue procession held to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The incident occurred when the procession was passing near the Panka Masjid in the old city area.
What Led To Stone Pelting?
According to a News18 report, it has been alleged that some members of the Muslim community inside Panka Masjid objected to the passing procession, as a DJ song being played reportedly contained the line “banayenge mandir.” As the Shivaji Jayanti procession moved slowly past the mosque, a few individuals entered into an argument with police personnel, questioning why such songs were permitted.
Police intervened immediately, dispersing the crowd and bringing the situation under control. As a precaution, security has been tightened around Panka Masjid and Kotaleshwar Temple, with a heavy police presence deployed in the area.
SP Injured In Stone Pelting
According to officials, miscreants threw stones at the procession from a distance. One of the stones struck Bagalkot District Superintendent of Police Siddharth Goyal, causing a minor injury. The stone reportedly hit his shoulder/neck area, leaving blood stains on his uniform. However, a serious injury was averted as the SP was wearing a helmet at the time.
Speaking to the media, SP Siddharth Goyal said, “It was the Shivaji Jayanti procession, and we were all present with sufficient force and equipment. When the procession started around 3 to 3:30 pm and approached the mosque, two stones were thrown from a distance. As per the information and videos reviewed so far, one stone hit a police constable and the other hit my shoulder. No one suffered any major injuries. After that, the procession continued smoothly and the atmosphere remained peaceful.”
Prohibitory Orders Issued After Violence
A police constable also sustained minor injuries in the stone pelting. Following the incident, there was brief pushing and shoving between locals and police personnel as tensions rose in the area. Police quickly intervened and managed to bring the situation under control. In response to the incident, authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in Bagalkote, Navanagar, and Vidyagiri until February 24.
