A case has been registered after pro-Pakistan slogans were allegedly raised during Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations in Karnataka’s communally sensitive Shivamogga district Monday night.
According to the police, the incident took place in Bhadravati where an Eid procession was organised in the old town. A viral video purportedly shows youths shouting “Pakistan Zindabad”, triggering concern in the region.
On Tuesday, Mithun Kumar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Shivamogga, confirmed the incident, stating, “We have registered a First Information Report (FIR) in Bhadravati and identified the persons involved. We are verifying where and when it was shot, who shouted the slogans, and determining the video’s authenticity before proceeding with the investigation.”
Three police teams, led by inspectors, have been formed for the investigation. “We have drone footage, CCTV recordings, and videos from our team. The CCTV cameras were audio-enabled, and we will be able to get clarity,” Kumar told reporters, adding that strict action would follow once the facts are established.
While Union minister Pralhad Joshi condemned the mindset behind such sloganeering, Chikkaballapur BJP MP K Sudhakar said the incident shows how anti-national elements were emboldened under the Congress rule in Karnataka, referring to similar sloganeering in the Vidhana Soudha corridors two years ago.
The state government had earlier this year dissolved the Anti-Naxal Force and started a Communal Violence Control Force to tackle incidents of communal violence, especially in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Shivamogga. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Police Commissioner, Mangaluru City, has been appointed as the head of the force.
In 2023, a dispute over a Tipu Sultan cutout between members of two communities escalated into a violent clash during the Eid-e-Milad procession in Shivamogga town, injuring six people, including two policemen. More than 60 individuals were arrested in the incident.
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In 2022, riots erupted after right-wing activist Harsha Jingade, 26, was murdered in Shivamogga. At least 10 people were injured in the incident, including a policeman.