Nagamangala incident happened "on spur of moment", not communal violence: G Parameshwara
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said the clashes between two groups during Ganesha idol immersion procession in Nagamangala town in Mandya district cannot be termed as "communal violence" as he maintained that the incident happened on the "spur of the moment".
He said 52 people have been arrested from "both sides", and after reviewing CCTV footage about their involvement in the incidents like stone-pelting and torching of vehicles and properties, cases will be registered against them.
"Yesterday's incident shouldn't have happened. What began as a small incident...it has ended. No major injuries or fights have happened. Police have taken the situation under control. When the procession was on, stones were pelted, it led to some clashes. After that when everything appeared to have been solved and people were dispersing, some torched bikes and shops, and subsequently (police) brought the situation under control," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said no loss of life or any "major problem" has been reported; the Superintendent of Police and Inspector General are at the spot, while a Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) platoon has been deployed.
"I had sent the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, he too had visited and is camping at the spot. Everything is under control and there are no further incidents," he added.
Asked whether it was communal violence, the Minister said: "accidentally while the procession was going there someone pelted stones, to which these people have also responded by pelting stones and it led to clashes. It cannot be called communal violence."
When told that a petrol bomb was allegedly hurled and and asked whether the incident was pre-planned, he said: "no, no, it (the incident) has happened immediately on the spur of the moment. Police have not allowed it to escalate further and have brought things under control. I appeal to the media not to publicise it more."
"I'm not saying that the incident has not happened. The incident has happened, we have brought the situation under control, to ensure that it should not escalate further, the force has been placed on the spot, also senior police officers are there..." he said in response to a question.
To allegations of lapses on part of the police as precautionary measures were allegedly not taken despite similar incidents taking place last year too, Parameshwara said a KSRP platoon was stationed at the spot, which helped in bringing the situation under control. "If not, there could have been bigger violence."
Noting that stones were pelted on police too, the Minister said an Assistant Sub-Inspector was injured and, taking "all those into consideration", cases will be registered.
He said prima facie there seems to be no political instigation behind the incident. "Let's see what comes from the probe report."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Railway lines as fence could cut cost of barricading to curb man-elephant conflicts: MP Wadiyar
Bengaluru, Sept 17: MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has suggested that to bring down the exorbitant cost barricading – estimated to cost around Rs 1.3 to Rs 1.5 crore per kilometre – railway lines could be used to construct fences on Tuesday.
Wadiyar took to X to share the letter he had sent to Union Environment Forest & Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav.
Stating that “railway (lines) barricading” is proving to be an effective way to restrict the movement of elephants, he suggested that this should be taken up on a large scale.
“Upon consultation with the relevant authorities, it has come to my understanding that the cost of barricading per kilometre comes to Rs 1.3 crore to Rs 1.5 crore. Given that the border of the forests in my constituency stretches to over 400 km, with around 280 km of forest border requiring immediate barricading, the cost of such an exercise will reach Rs 350 crore to Rs 400 crore,” he wrote in his letter.
He said the environment ministry could make a direct request with the railway ministry for an allocation of railway lines, thus reducing the cost of the project to just that of labour cost.
“The benefits of this initiative are manifold, from reduction of human casualties, protection of property and livelihood, to conservation of elephants and, most importantly, promoting human-elephant coexistence, which is the need of the hour,” he added.
Working towards safer coexistence in Mysore-Kodagu! Submitted proposal to Union Environment Forest & Climate change Minister Shri Bhupendra Yadav Ji for railway barricading to reduce elephant-human conflicts. pic.twitter.com/VjOWIF1TTC
— Yaduveer Wadiyar (@yaduveerwadiyar) September 17, 2024
