Karnataka: Section 144 in Belagavi extended till Dec 22 amid violence over statue vandalism

The police in Karnataka's Belagavi have extended prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) till December 22 amid concerns over the destruction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna monuments in various areas of the state. According to Belagavi Police Commissioner Dr K Thiyagarajan, a prohibitory order was extended, in the wake of demonstrations after the destruction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna statues on Saturday night, under Section 144 CrPC from 6 a.m. on December 20 to 6 a.m. on December 22. 

Tensions flared in the city when a rumoured video of individuals pouring black ink on the monument of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on Bengaluru's Sankey Tank Road went viral. Following this, a mob of demonstrators assembled in Belagavi on Friday night, following which a bunch of vandals attacked Karnataka Police and government cars.

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In Belagavi, a statue of Kannada warrior and independence hero Sangolli Rayanna was also destroyed. The miscreants wrecked roughly 26 cars belonging to the Karnataka government and police in Belagavi, according to the police. Protesters said that Kannada thugs vandalised a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj monument in Bengaluru. Following the vandalism of Shivaji's statue, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) and Shiv Sena supporters gathered in huge numbers at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk to protest against the Karnataka government. To get the situation under control, the police had to interfere.

As a preventive measure, the police had placed prohibitory orders in Belagavi till Monday. So far, 110 people have been arrested in three separate incidents. The police are looking for other suspects who have been involved in vandalism across the city.

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• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
• Karnataka
• Section 144
• statue vandalism