Girl attacked in trouble-hit Honnavar, ban orders clamped

Prohibitory orders were today clamped in violence-hit Honnavar in coastal Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka after a knife attack on a school girl by two persons, police said.
The incident occurred at a time when Honnavar was showing signs of returning to normalcy after violence early this week over the mysterious death of a 19-year-old man, into which the state government yesterday announced a CBI probe.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said there was no link between the attack on the girl and the recent incidents.
Officials said the girl, a Class 9 student, was going to school when she was attacked with knife by two persons, injuring her hand. The two fled the scene.

The girl was admitted to a hospital where her condition was stated to be stable, they said.
With an intention to stall any attempt to give the incident a communal colour and keeping the recent violence in the district in mind, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been promulgated in Honnavar for 24 hours from 11 am today, a senior district administration official said.

Police said they were investigating the incident.
Honnavar and Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district were hit by violence over the death of Mesta, hailing from the fishermen community, whose body was found near a lake two days after he was reported missing on December 6.

Conceding the demand of the family and the BJP, the Karnataka government had yesterday decided to hand over the case to the CBI.
The BJP has alleged that Mesta was killed by "jihadi elements".
Siddaramaiah told reporters in Kushtagi that the attack on the girl had "norelation" to the recent incidents.
"I also appeal to the people not to pay attention to rumours. The situation is peaceful," he said.
Accusing the BJP of using Mesta's death for political gains,he said, "They want to polarise votes (for 2018 state assemblyelections), it is not possible."
The BJP has already rejected the charge of fomenting communal trouble in the coastal district.