‘Free Palestine’ poster in K’taka district, police on high alert

Bengaluru, Sep 16 (IANS) A ‘free Palestine’ poster in the Killa area of Karnataka’s Koppal district led to tension in the area before the police took it down, said officials here on Monday.

The Muslim community in Karnataka was celebrating the Eid-e-Milad festival across the state with much fervour. The Karnataka Police were on high alert in light of the recent violence and rioting in Nagamangala town of Mandya district during the Ganesh Visarjan procession.

As the Eid-e-Milad processions across the state are expected to draw large crowds, the police were taking no chances and have arranged foolproof security. All major mosques in the state were decorated for the occasion. Special arrangements have been made at the Jamia Masjid in the K.R. Market locality of Bengaluru and Bilal Mosque on Bannerghatta Road. Members of the community fasted and distributed sweets.

The police removed a “Free Palestine” poster that appeared in the Killa area of Koppal district. While celebrating Eid-e-Milad, a banner was put up at the entrance of the Killa area, and on its right side was a poster with the message “Free Palestine”.

Hindu organisations objected to this and reported the matter to the police. Officers immediately rushed to the spot and spoke to Muslim community leaders about taking down the banner. Later, the members agreed to cover the “Free Palestine” writing on the banner.

In the meantime, Nagamangala town in Mandya district, which witnessed violence and rioting during the Ganesh Visarjan procession last week, has been turned into a police fortress. As members of the Muslim community are holding a procession, security has been tightened along the entire procession route, and additional police forces have been deployed in sensitive areas.

Police officers are stationed on all major roads and side streets. Tight security has also been arranged near the mosque where last week’s stone-pelting and rioting incident occurred during the Ganesh Visarjan procession.

Mandya SP Mallikarjun Baladandi has been stationed in Nagamangala since Sunday night and has been monitoring the situation. The Home Ministry is being briefed on the situation hourly, according to sources.

Two SPs, two Additional SPs, four DySPs, 20 police inspectors, 20 PSIs, and more than 700 police constables have been deployed in Nagamangala town. In addition, seven District Armed Reserve (DAR) and Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) platoons have been dispatched.

The district administration has denied permission for the Ganesh Visarjan processions in the town on Monday to avoid any potential friction and communal flare-ups.

Police are also on high alert in the coastal Karnataka region, which is considered a communally sensitive area. Adequate police forces have been deployed in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi districts.

In the capital city of Bengaluru, the traffic police placed restrictions on movement around famous mosques, and vehicular movement was redirected to alternative roads. In view of the Eid-e-Milad processions, the movement of heavy vehicles entering Bengaluru city was prohibited from 7 a.m. to noon.

–IANS

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