Bangalore: Curfew was extended till tomorrow
in Shimoga even as it remained calm a day after being hit by
violence during protests by Muslims over publication of an
article purportedly written by exiled Bangladeshi writer
Taslim Nasreen.
Authorities also continued prohibitory orders till
tomorrow in another trouble-hit town of Hassan where Rapid
Action Force has been deployed to prevent any untoward
incident.
Despite tight vigil in Bangalore, under prohibitory orders
till March five, a stray stone-throwing incident was reported
in Kalasipalyam area causing damage to two buses.
ADGP (Law and Order) M R Poojar dismissed it as a "minor
incident", saying the situation was "absolutely peaceful".
"Normalcy returned to Shimoga and Hassan. At any cost,
there would not be any shortcoming on the part of the
government in protecting minorities. It`s our duty," Chief
Minister B S Yeddyurappa said in the assembly.
Two persons were killed, one in police firing and the other
in violence, in Shimoga, Yeddyurappa`s hometown, after
protests by Muslims over publication of Kannada version of
Nasreen`s purported article in a leading Kannada daily, turned
violent.
Authorities brought the sensitive Hubli City under
prohibitory orders till March five and stepped up security in
Mandya town.
The dusk-to-dawn curfew clamped in Shimoga yesterday was
extended as a precautionary measure, authorities said.
-PTI
