Calm prevails in Mangaluru; curfew relaxed for two hours

Mangaluru city which is under a curfew remained calm under heavy police security on Saturday while prohibitory orders were lifted for two hours from 6 a.m to enable people to purchase essential items.

City police Commissioner P S Harsha said the curfew will continue till Sunday night in the commissionerate limits as a precautionary measure after the violent clashes between protesters agitating against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the police on Thursday.

Owners of some shops who had only a little stock left on Saturday, sold their items within the two hours.

Many people complained that they were not aware of the relaxation of the curfew as it was announced only on local television channels.

Mobile internet services which were suspended are expected to be restored by Saturday night.

Vehicles barring city buses, autorickshaws were seen plying.

District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, who held meetings with the district Deputy Commissioner and senior police officers on Friday, said the situation here is stable and briefed the Chief Minister on the developments.

Meanwhile, a case has been booked by the Mangaluru South police against former state minister and Mangaluru MLA U T Khader for allegedly delivering a provocative speech and stirring communal disharmony and inciting violence.

Based on a complaint filed by pro-BJP Yuva Morcha secretary Sandesh Kumar Shetty on Friday, the case was filed under Sections 124 A (sedition), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot).

In his complaint, Shetty alleged that the legislator while addressing a protest at Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner's office on December 17, said "Karnataka will burn if the CAA will be implemented in the state.