Shimoga, Karnataka: Two persons died and four others were injured in Shimoga district during violent protests against an article written by controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen in a Kannada newspaper.
One person died when police fired at a mob and another other succumbed to injuries sustained in stone pelting, police said. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed in four places in old Shimoga, the hometown of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
A crowd of some 1,500 people on Monday took out a procession in Shimoga to protest against a translated article of Taslima published on Sunday in a leading Kannada newspaper on burqa tradition.
The procession turned violent as some persons pelted stones on vehicles. At least 20 vehicles, including eight state transport corporation buses, were damaged.
Police officials said they opened fire because they feared the procession was getting out of control. Police said four others injured in stone-pelting have been hospitalised.
Prohibitory orders was also imposed on the entire city and additional reinforcements of police rushed, Superintendent of Police S Murugan said.
Hassan was also tense after 15,000 people held a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. Several vehicles were damaged in stone pelting and some shops were torched, police said.
Yeddyurappa, who made a suo motu statement in the state assembly on the violence in Shimoga and Hassan, said "the situation is under control now".
He said cases have been booked against those involved in violence. Sensing trouble over the article, the police heads in all districts were alerted yesterday itself, he said, adding a strict vigil was being maintained.
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