Police play safe, shut Mangalore down at 8 pm

21 August 2009

If you have made plans to visit Mangalore this weekend, either put them on hold or reach the coastal town well before Friday 8 pm. Reason : five stabbings reported from various parts of the taluk since Monday night have forced the Dakshina Kannada administration to order all shops and business establishments to shut by 8 pm. The administration will review its order on Saturday.
On Wednesday night, two youths were stabbed at A B Shetty Circle.
Deputy commissioner C V Ponnuraj told reporters on Thursday that despite efforts by community leaders to maintain the delicate balance in the district, some elements are trying to create trouble. The administration has taken into consideration a request made by the IGP (Western Range) and SP to close down shops by 8 pm so that people can reach home early, he said.
The order will apply to bars and restaurants, cinemas and malls, Ponnuraj said. Public transport has been kept out of the purview of the order.
Admitting that this will cause some inconvenience to people in view of the Ganesha festival on Sunday, the DC said: Let people finish their festival purchases in advance.
IGP Gopal B Hosur said perverted elements have been busy over the past few weeks trying to foment communal tension through desecration of religious places. They have followed this up with acts of assault. Early closure of businesses will ensure that roads are clear and not give miscreants chance to melt in the crowd.
More than 30 police patrol vehicles are operating in Mangalore city alone, the IGP said, adding that nakabandi has been strengthened to deny miscreants a free run. In addition , the DC, on our request, has appointed executive magistrates in 14 police station limits in Mangalore and Bantwal taluks, deemed to be communally sensitive, to help the police deal with any sort of law-and-order exigency, Hosur said.
Police superintendent A S Rao said while no arrests have been made in connection with the incidents of assault, the line of investigation is clear in some cases; the police hope to make a breakthrough soon.