Section 144 was imposed in Dakshina Kannada’s Bantwal taluka, 25 km from Mangalore, from the very first day of Ramzan (May 26) last year. The prohibitory orders were in place for almost 56 days. Despite the precautionary measures, the taluka in coastal Karnataka witnessed two murders and several instances of rioting.
The high profile Assembly constituency has been under Congress party’s grip for decades now. But that doesn’t stop the Sangh Parivar and Hindu fringe groups from fomenting trouble. The Muslim fringe groups, too, have successfully formed a strong cadre support and don’t think twice before triggering violence or a communal spat. This also serves as the capital for Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, a local RSS strongman.
