Dakshina Kannada tense after PFI men try to storm police station; 9 cops injured

At least nine police personnel have been injured in clashes with Popular Front of India workers in Uppinangady locality in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka after three of the radical outfit's members were summoned in connection with an attempt to murder case. 

The PFI workers -- Mohammed Zakaria, Mustafa and Hamid -- had been summoned by the police for questioning after they were named by one Mohammed Sinan, who is accused of assaulting two fish vendors in the town on December 6. Sinan had been arrested by the police on December 13 night. According to investigators, the December 6 assault was in retaliation to an attack on a group of persons at the Ilanthila village near Uppinangady a day earlier. Some arrests have been made in that case as well.

Meanwhile, thousands of PFI members had assembled in front of the Uppinangady police station on Tuesday and by late evening the situation turned volatile. PFI members, who were joined by supporters from neighbouring villages of Puttur, Bantwala and Belthangady, started to raise slogans demanding the immediate release of their colleagues who were being questioned inside the station. 

Despite warning by police personnel to protesters to leave the site, the agitators remained adamant and eventually tried to storm the police station with sharp weapons. The police then resorted to a lathi charge. During the clash nine police personnel,  including Puttur Deputy Superintendent of Police Gana P Kumar, Bantwala PSI Prasanna Kumar, Circle Inspector Umesh Uppalike, sub-inspectors Omana, Kiran Kumar, Renuka, Sharief Nadaf, Sheshadri and Harish, were injured. 

According to reports, the PFI cadre reportedly retreated into a nearby mosque while still pelting stones, damaging vehicles and other public property. Anticipating more clashes as the area is communally-sensitive, the Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada has imposed prohibitory orders. Heavy police deployment has been made in Uppinangady.