Karnataka: Tension in Shivamogga, After Stone-Pelting Incident During Eid Milad Procession

Tension prevailed in the city of Shivamogga in Karnataka on Sunday after a stone-pelting incident occurred during the Eid Milad procession in the city. Following the stone pelting incident, the authorities imposed prohibitory orders in some parts of the city under IPC Section 144. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) intervened to disperse the crowd, with the police resorting to mild lathi charges to restore order. The police claimed that they had also rescued seven individuals caught between the stone pelters and security personnel. The controversy originated when members of the Muslim community questioned the police for erasing objectionable writing from a cutout of Tippu Sultan. Superintendent of Police (SP) Mithun Kumar engaged in talks with the community leaders, ultimately acknowledging the objectionable content on the cutout. Shivamogga, a communally sensitive city, has the Police Department on high alert given the backdrop of the Ganesh festival and Eid Milad.