Communal tension erupts in Karnataka’s Bhatkal over religious structure; prohibitory orders imposed

KARWAR: Tension prevailed in the Murinakatta area of Bhatkal on Sunday evening after a religious structure was rebuilt at a site that has been under dispute for months.The location had housed a small shrine for several years, but it was cleared a few months ago. On Sunday morning, members of some Hindu organisations reportedly reconstructed the structure at the same spot, triggering objections from sections of the local Muslim community.Members of the Muslim community raised concerns and demanded that the structure be removed. By Sunday evening, a group of Muslim youths gathered at the site and allegedly attempted to dismantle the newly built structure. This led to a heated exchange between the youths and police personnel present at the scene.According to sources, the situation escalated when some youths allegedly tried to push police officers during the confrontation. With tensions rising, police intervened and resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.Hindu organisations strongly condemned the actions of the youths. Govind Naik, a BJP functionary associated with the Hindu Jagarana Vedike, criticised the incident, stating that it occurred at a time when the entire town was mourning the tragic death of 10 people who drowned in a stream at Alvekodi in Bhatkal. He alleged that certain miscreants were attempting to disrupt communal harmony and announced that Hindu groups would stage a protest on Monday.Meanwhile, police tightened security in the communally sensitive area to prevent any further escalation. A heavy deployment was made around the disputed site, located along National Highway 66, where the atmosphere remained tense but under control.Authorities urged residents to maintain peace and not fall prey to rumours or provocation as efforts continued to restore normalcy.Hindu organisations held a dharna late on Sunday and are expected to stage another protest later on Monday.The Uttara Kannada district administration has imposed prohibitory orders within Bhatkal Municipality limits and Jali Town Panchayat under Section 163 of the BNSS. The order will remain in force from 6 am on May 25 until 6 am on May 27.During this period, restrictions have been imposed on public gatherings, protests, and other activities that may disturb peace. The district administration warned that legal action would be taken against those violating the order.