Kannada activists went on a rampage in Belagavi on Friday pulling down boards of shops that were in Marathi.
This was in response to Shiv Sena and members of some Marathi groups blackening Kannada boards at Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Thursday. Groups of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) members, led by Deepak Gudenatti and others, targeted shops on Kakati Road and Khade Bazaar in the old city. While some tried to blacken Marathi boards, others pulled them down. Activists climbed poles to bring down Marathi posters and banners.
The activists allegedly tried to attack Prakash Shirolkar, Shiv Sena district unit president. They stopped his car near Bogarves and removed the licence plate. The police rushed to the spot and dispersed them. Mr. Shirolkar complained that the group was trying to attack him. Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikram Amte and his team arrived at the spot and tried to bring the situation under control.
The KRV activists got into a argument with Shiv Sena members in front of the latter’s office at Ramling Khind Galli in the old city following the alleged attempt to attack Mr. Shirolkar.
A team of the city police has been posted outside the Shiv Sena office, as per the instructions of Police Commissioner K. Thiyagarajan, the police added.
