Conflict: Lathi charge, 2 arrested

Team Udayavani, Mar 24, 2019, 12:48 PM IST

Bantwal: The police had to resort to lathi-charge to control a group which turned violent towards the end of the land survey work on the land of Akkarangadi Masjid at Nehru Nagar in Panemangaluru. Two persons have been arrested and cases have been booked against several others.

In accordance to the Court’s order, the Deputy Commissioner had directed to conduct a land survey of the disputed land on Mar 23^rd and identify the border. Since there was a possibility for conflict, around 170 police personnel were deployed at the site as a precautionary measure. Barricades were installed at the entrance points of the main road and the movement of vehicles and people was controlled.

Car stopped

The land survey work which began at 11:30 am in the forenoon was completed at 3:30 pm in the afternoon and the officials left the location. Incidentally, the car of a local identified as Taslim, who had arrived to the location on behalf of the Masjid was stopped by some people when he was leaving from the location.

Taslim stopped his vehicle and informed the police of the same, at that moment, he was punched in his face by a person identified as Imran and situation escalated into a full blown fight.

As the police received the information, they reached the spot with additional forces and had to resort to a lathi-charge to disperse the gathered. Based on Taslim’s complaint, case has been booked against 20 persons at Bantwal town police. The police have also arrested Imran and Abdul who are relatives of the president of the Masjid at Nehru Nagar. SP Laxmi Prasad visited the police station and gave guidance.

Police prevented from discharging their duties

It is being said that when the police came forward to take Imran into custody in the backdrop of the conflict, a group attempted to prevent the police from discharging its duties by not allowing them to arrest Imran. Not only did the group try to pull out the police lathi’s but also tried to take away their guns, informs rural police station inspector Prasanna.