Belagavi Mayor Sanjot Bandekar has been given police protection following her participation in the Black Day protest on Karnataka Rajyotsava day.
A police van full of reserve police personnel was stationed near the city corporation office. Police were deputed before her official residence also.
Ms. Bandekar participated in the silent rally wearing black clothes. Kannada organisations have described this as an “anti-Karnataka move’ and sought action against her.
Four held for violence
Four persons have been picked up by the city police in connection with Wednesday’s stone pelting incident. Four people, including a police constable, were injured in the incident near the district court complex.
Initial inquiry suggests that use of dolby music systems that belted out loud songs was the cause of the quarrel, a senior police officer said. Some youths objected to loud music and dancing in front of a prayer hall near the DC office. This led to a heated argument with others in the procession, and fighting broke out. Stones were pelted and a youth drew out a knife and attacked others. In the melee, a young man fell down from a truck carrying the dolby speakers and suffered injuries.
Rajkumar Topannanavar, BJP city unit general secretary, has blamed some political leaders and some organisations for the violence on Rajyotsava day. He has sought a detailed inquiry into the issue.