Karnataka: Kannada outfits target Maharashtra buses, blacken Marathi words

After tension in Belagavi, the feud between Kannadigas and Marathas sparked and spread to the nearby Kalaburagi district of Karnataka as Jaya Karnataka, a pro-Kannada outfit targeted Maharashtra-bound buses on Saturday night. At a checkpoint near Aland in Kalaburagi and Maharashtra border, activists stopped buses and blackened Marathi boards.

The activists also raised slogans against Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi and in unison said 'Belagavi is ours'. And also warned that no vehicles coming from Maharashtra will be allowed to enter Kalaburagi.

On Friday, a massive protest was held in various parts of Karnataka by various Kannada outfits after miscreants vandalized the Sangolli Rayanna statue, targeted government vehicles, and also hotels belonging to Kannadigas in Belagavi.

To keep the law and order situation under control, a few activists were detained and section 144 was imposed and heavy deployment of police is in place in border areas. Karnataka CM and HM have warned of stern action against miscreants.

On Friday, Sena and MES activists were enraged following reports of miscreants targeting the Shivaji statue and soon armed with wooden logs and stones targeted Rayanna statue in Belagavi. Over dozens of vehicles including police vans and hotels were targeted. In response, the Kannada outfit held protests and various Kannada outfits have announced to lay siege to Suvarna Soudha on Monday.