Belgaum: Several vehicles were burnt and over 30 persons, including an employee of a Kannada daily, were injured as two communities came to blows in Belgaum late Wednesday and Thursday afternoon over the alleged friendship between a young girl from one community and a boy from the other.
A group of youth attacked the boy and brutally beat him up when he was found sitting with the girl in a cyber cafe in Kelkarbag Wednesday night, according to the police. He was rushed to the Belgaum civil hospital where a large number of people from his community gathered through the night.
As news of the attack spread, mobs from both communities began to throw stones in areas like Chavat Galli, Khanjar Galli, Khadak Galli, Jalgar Galli and Khadebazaar and even attacked parked vehicles, setting them on fire. Houses and public properties in various parts of the city were damaged in the stoning.
The violence resumed Thursday afternoon following a false rumour that the boy injured on Wednesday night had died in hospital. A group of men wearing masks began to throw stones in a section of Khadebazaar, prompting the police to get all business establishments to down their shutters.
Mr Vinayak Kattimani, an employee of a Kannada daily was seriously hurt and is in a critical condition after he was attacked by a group of youth while was on his way home from Khadebazaar late on Wednesday, the police said.
The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in all sensitive areas in Belgaum and several youth have been arrested for the violence. The police is hunting for many more who are absconding.
