Mangaluru: Two days after violence broke out in Mangaluru during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 and National Register of Citizens (NRC), the city wore a deserted look.
No untoward incidents were reported on Saturday, December 21, however, police personnel were deployed at key places in the city to prevent any commotion. Police were seen checking vehicles plying on different routes.
Between 6 AM and 8 AM, the curfew was relaxed so as to allow the people to go out and buy groceries and other basic necessities to last them through the curfew. Once the curfew was reinforced, police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowds.
Meanwhile, political leaders from both the Congress and the BJP convened press briefings and blamed each other for the violence that broke out on Thursday. The Communist Party of India (CPI), led by MP Binoy Viswam, held a protest in Lalbagh against the CAA. When they refused to disperse, the Rajya Sabha member from Kerala and six others were detained by the police.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karajol, state home minister Basavaraj Bommai and others also visited the city and met the top police officials, local representatives, Deputy Commissioner and Christian and Muslim community leaders about the violence and the law and order situation in the city. During a press briefing, they lamented the violence and assured that a probe would be conducted into the violence and the subsequent deaths of two protesters.
The CM also met with the family members of the protesters who died during police firing on Thursday. He assured that compensation would be provided to the families in as per the law.
CM BSY relaxed the curfew in the city between 3 PM and 6 PM today and from morning till 6 PM tomorrow (Sunday, December 22). The curfew will be lifted on Monday, December 23, after which CrPC section 144 will be enforced. He assured that Christmas celebrations would not be affected. Section 144 will be relaxed only after considering the situation.
During the break from 3 PM to 6 PM, people thronged supermarkets, hotels and petrol bunks in order to sustain themselves till the prohibitory orders are lifted and life goes back to normal.
Overall, even though there was an uneasiness in the city, it was much more peaceful compared to Thursday.
