Bengaluru: In the advent of the Tipu Jayanti celebrations organised by the Karnataka State Government, a protest broke out today in opposition. Using the hallmark of most violent protests, a KSRTC bus was vandalised in the Madikeri area by the protesters.
The protesters succeeded in breaking three windows of the bus, including the front windshield. According to KSRTC officials, the incident occured at around 8 am in Madikeri.
A few local BJP workers were arrested after they staged a protest, all the while waving black flags in front of a government office in Madikeri.
In the light of recent events and growing restlessness among politically stirred individuals, Benagluru has seen a rise in secirity as the dawn of the celebrations draws near. A huge number of cops have been stationed in sensitive areas around the city and they have made it crystal clear that processsions relating to the Tipu Jayanti celebrations (either for or against), other than those organised by the state government, would not be allowed.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar has been quoted as saying, “We are not giving permission to any procession, whether it is in favour of Tipu Jayanti or against it,” adding that the government is celebrating the event in various parts of the city, arrangements for which have been made.
Kumar also said that apart from the regular policemen, there would be deployment of 30 Karnataka State Reserved Police (KSRP) platoons, 25 armed platoons and some Home Guard personnel. All in all, he said that there would be more than 11000 law enforcement officers all over the city during the celebrations.
Stating that celebrations would be held only at venues predetermined by the government, Kumar added that they would firmly deal with those who plan to instigate trouble and that they would impose section 144 if the need arises. He also stated that the police had not made any preventive arrests as of yet.
