Fight turns communal in Karnataka's Shivamogga town

SHIVAMOGGA:  A tiff between two spectators over a petty issue during a zonal volleyball tournament for primary schools flared up, triggering communal tension in Shiralakoppa town in the district on Monday. Shops downed their shutters immediately, while the police intensified patrolling to prevent any untoward incident.

The tournament was being held at Indira Gandhi Stadium. According to a police complaint, Manchinakoppa village resident Annappa was watching the match when another man brought a chair and sat in front of him, blocking his view. A verbal duel broke out and the other person slapped Annappa. Later, the villagers pacified them both.

But when Annappa and his friends Pawan, Manikantha, Puneet, Pramod and Shivaraj were returning home, Parvez (26), Zabiulla (23) and Shakeel (30), all local residents, allegedly attacked them with stones, sticks and rods. They also made casteist remarks against Annappa and his friends.

The injured were admitted at a government hospital at Shiralakoppa. Superintendent of Police BM Laxmi Prasad said the police registered a case based on a complaint by the injured. The police have detained two people and are interrogating them.  The incident, meanwhile, led to a tense situation in the town.