Security beefed up in Karnataka's Srirangapatna over VHP's call for puja at mosque
Mandya(PTI): Security has been heightened in Srirangapatna, the erstwhile capital of 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan in the district, following Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) call to perform puja at the Jamia mosque, claiming that it was built after razing a Hanuman temple.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the temple town under section 144 of the CrPC to prevent any protest or procession from taking place.
Besides district police force, contingents of Karnataka State Reserved Police have also been deployed. The roads have been barricaded and security pickets have been erected in the town.
Wearing saffron scarves and holding saffron flags, the Bajrang Dal and VHP activists on motorcycles raised 'Jai Sriram' slogans. Fearing backlash, many shopkeepers around the shrine downed shutters for the day.
Members of fringe Hindu outfits have called for a protest march to the mosque.
However, authorities have denied permission for it.
State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has given directions to the police to take all the measures to ensure peace and public order in view of VHP's 'Srirangapatna Chalo' campaign.
Meanwhile, the Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik condemned the restrictions saying they should be imposed on 'them'.
"There is a Ganapati temple, a temple tank and a well inside the mosque. Despite all these, mosques running Madrassas and offering Namaz there is wrong. It is 'they' who should be stopped. They should be thrown out. I condemn the BJP government which is trying to stop our protest," Muthalik told reporters in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
The right wing organisations have been claiming that the Jamia mosque was an Anjaneya Temple, which Tipu Sultan had destroyed to build a mosque in its place.
The outfits have submitted a memorandum to the district authorities seeking a survey of the mosque and take steps to return the 'Anjaneya Temple' to Hindus if their claim was found to be true.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
