Karnataka: FIR Against Over 300 in Haveri for Targeting Ganesh Procession

The police have said that a local BJP councillor created confusion leading to the clash.

Police disperse the mob in front of a Dargah in Ranebennur, after over 300 people from the minority community in the area targeted the Ganesh Ustav procession on 20 September.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Communal tension gripped Haveri after a Ganesh Utsav procession was allegedly targeted on Tuesday, 20 September, by a mob in Karnataka’s Ranebennur town.

The police said that the mob attacked the procession triggering violence in the area, which also led to stone pelting from both sides. As of now, a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against 300-500 unidentified people.

While the police have said that Prakash Boodikatti, a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor, created confusion leading to the clash, how the confusion was created has not yet been established.

Security Force Deployed To Maintain Peace

According to the FIR copy accessed by The Quint, the incident took place at 8:30 pm, when the Sri Vijayalakshmi Kreeda Havayasa Sangha (an independent sports club with Hindutva links) carried out a procession near the Shadar Dargah circle.

The mob of over 300 near the dargah allegedly targeted the procession, which led to further violence. 

Sources told The Quint that there was stone pelting from both the communities.

Police was immediately deployed and the situation was brought under control. A case has been filed under sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with armed weapons), and 149 (offence committed by any member of an unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations organised by a youth club in Ranebennur takes out a procession in front of Shadar Dargha on 20 September.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Speaking to The Quint, Hanumantharaya, the superintendent of police in Haveri, said, "Prakash Boodikatti, local BJP councillor in Ranebennur, was responsible for creating some confusion, which led to the mob attacking the procession. We have registered an FIR and investigation is going on. There is also a rumour about a youth being stabbed. This is a lie. We are ensuring that there is no more violence."

Communal tension grips Ranebennur as the Ganesh Chaturthi procession was attacked by a mob of over 300.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Meanwhile the situation in Ranebennur, and the neighbouring town of Haveri, continues to remain tense, with the government deploying extra police personnel, two platoons of the SRPF, and one team of RAF in the town to maintain peace and harmony.