Mangaluru: Mithun Rai's car damaged in stone pelting by BJP workers
Violence broke out between workers of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) near the polling station of the Government in the Moodshedde area of Moodbidri constituency, DK district, during the Assembly elections on Wednesday.
Congress candidate Mithun Rai's car was reportedly damaged in the incident after stones were pelted. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anshukumar, reached the scene to find the vehicle had been damaged, and two women had been injured.
The incident occurred around 7:40 p.m. when Mithun Rai was reportedly speaking to activists near the polling station of Moodshedde. BJP members allegedly began shouting "Modi Modi," and Congress supporters responded by shouting "Jai Congress." This led to an exchange of words between Congress and BJP workers, which escalated into violence with both parties throwing stones at each other.
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Police were deployed immediately to disperse the crowd, and the Commissioner of Police, Kuldeep Kumar Jain, visited the site and inspected the damage. Additional police have been deployed to the area, and Mithun Rai and Congress workers have demanded the immediate arrest of the BJP workers who were involved in the stone pelting incident. Despite this incident, polling in the DK district was reported to have been peaceful.
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Nearly 4,000 pilgrims set sail for Katchatheevu islet to participate in annual two-day festival
Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Nearly 4,000 Indian pilgrims on Friday set sail for the uninhabited Katchatheevu islet to participate in the annual two-day festival, which will officially commence at 4 pm at the St Antony’s Church, officials said.
The festival marks a significant moment of shared cultural and religious heritage between India and Sri Lanka.
The first batch of devotees was flagged off from the Rameswaram fishing harbour at approximately 6 am by Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon.
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According to official records, a total of 3,996 registered pilgrims -- comprising 3,033 men, 726 women, and 150 children -- are crossing the Palk Strait in a fleet of 118 boats, which includes 92 mechanised trawlers and 26 country boats.
The festival will officially commence with a traditional flag-hoisting ceremony. This will be followed by the 'Way of the Cross' procession and a late-night chariot festival, where the statue of the patron saint will be carried around the shrine by Sri Lankan Navy personnel, sources said.
Strict security measures are in place, with the Indian Coast Guard and Customs department conducting a three-tier verification process at the Rameswaram jetty. All pilgrims were required to produce their Aadhaar cards and a mandatory Police No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Authorities have strictly prohibited the carriage of plastic items, alcohol, and excessive jewellery.
According to official sources, all vessels are equipped with adequate life jackets and are being escorted by Coast Guard hovercrafts up to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The festivities will reach their peak on Saturday morning with a Special High Mass conducted by the Bishops of Jaffna and Colombo in both Tamil and Sinhala. The event will conclude with the lowering of the flag, after which the Indian pilgrims will begin their return journey.
To facilitate the event, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department has enforced a total fishing ban in the region until March 1, leaving over 1,000 local boats moored at the docks to ensure clear passage for the pilgrim fleet.
The islet was ceded to Sri Lanka by India by ways of two agreements in 1970s.
